[Chemotherapy and the heart]

Abstract

The improvements in cancer detection and therapy have created a new cohort of patients who will experience sufficient survival to develop the cardiac complications of the cancer therapy. Three-dimensional echocardiography has been validated as the ultrasound modality with the best accuracy for the calculation of ejection fraction when compared to magnetic resonance imaging, the current gold standard, making it the tool of choice, when available, for the initial evaluation and follow up of the patient receiving chemotherapy. If three-dimensional echocardiography is not available, or if the quality of the images is inadequate, the use of ultrasound contrast can be useful for the definition of the endocardial border and identification of the true apex of the heart, enhancing the ability of the interpreter to accurately calculate volumes and ejection fraction. Two-dimensional strain appears promising as a tool to identify abnormalities in myocardial mechanics very early on during cardiotoxicity, allowing the prediction of later overt systolic dysfunction. This parameter may be useful in the detection of chemotherapy treated patients who could benefit from alternate therapies, thereby decreasing the incidence of cardiotoxicity and its associated morbidity and mortality.