Myocardial Fibrosis in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Demonstrated by Integrated Cardiac F-18 FDG PET/MR.

Abstract

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common condition defined as a diffuse or segmental left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy with a nondilated and hyperdynamic chamber as well as cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiac MR (CMR) imaging is a key modality for evaluation of HCM. In addition to the assessment of LV wall thickness, LV function and aortic flow, CMR is capable of estimation of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in affected myocardium which has been shown to have a direct correlation with incidence and severity of arrhythmias in HCM. In patients with HCM, LGE on CMR is presumed to represent intramyocardial fibrosis. Meanwhile, F-18 FDG myocardial PET has been sporadically studied in HCM, mostly for evaluation of the metabolic status of a hypertrophic myocardial segment, especially after interventions or to demonstrate partial myocardial fibrosis. We presented here the case of a 25-year-old male patient referred for simultaneous F-18 FDG cardiac PET/MR for the evaluation of septal hypertrophy. The PET/MR revealed myocardial fibrosis in the septum associated with FDG-defect and LGE.