Assessment of pulmonary hypertension what CT and MRI can provide

Abstract

Rationales and objectives: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening condition, characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, which is confirmed based on invasive right heart catheterization (RHC). Noninvasive examinations may support diagnosis of PH before proceeding to RHC and play an important role in management and treatment of the disease. Although echocardiography is considered a standard tool in diagnosis, recent advances have made computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging promising tools, which may provide morphologic and functional information. In this article, we review image-based assessment of PH with a focus on CT and MR imaging.

Conclusions: CT may provide useful morphologic information for depicting PH and seeking for underlying diseases. With the accumulated technological advancement, CT and MRI may provide practical tools for not only morphologic but also functional assessment of patients with PH.