Visualization of ventricular thrombi with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in patients with ischemic heart disease

Abstract

Background: Ventricular thrombus formation is a frequent and potentially dangerous complication in patients with ischemic heart disease. Although transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is generally used as diagnostic technique, we explored the role of contrast-enhanced (CE)-MRI to detect ventricular thrombi.

Methods and results: In 57 patients with acute myocardial infarction, chronic myocardial infarction, or ischemic cardiomyopathy, MRI was performed to evaluate ventricular function (CINE-MRI) and to depict presence of myocardial necrosis and/or scarring and no-reflow areas (CE-MRI). All studies were analyzed for concomitant ventricular thrombi. CE-MRI depicted 12 mural thrombi (3.1+/-2.9 cm3), located in left ventricular (LV) apex or adherent to anteroseptum, presenting as black, well-defined structures surrounded by bright contrast-enhanced blood. Thrombus formation on CE-MRI was related to larger end-diastolic volumes; lower ejection fractions; the region of delayed enhancement and lowest wall motion score, especially in left anterior descending coronary artery territory; and LV aneurysm formation. On CINE-MRI, thrombi were found in 6 patients. Nonvisualized thrombi were usually small (mean size 1.2+/-0.7 cm3). TTE depicted thrombi in 5. Nonvisualized lesions were most frequently located in LV apex and had a larger size than nonvisualized lesions on CINE-MRI (3.0+/-3.2 cm3). In 3 patients with suspected apical thrombus on TTE, MRI was normal.

Conclusions: CE-MRI is not only an excellent technique to depict myocardial necrosis and scar tissue in patients with ischemic heart disease, but this study also suggests a better identification of LV thrombi than with presently used clinical imaging modalities, such as TTE.