Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: Evaluation With Cardiac MRI

Abstract

Objective: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a frequent problem in clinical practice and can be caused by diverse conditions including hypertension, aortic stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, athletic training, infiltrative heart muscle disease, storage and metabolic disorders. Identification of the precise etiology can be challenging and is a common cause of referral for cardiac MRI (CMR). In this article, CMR findings in various causes of LVH will be reviewed with an emphasis on determination of etiology and emerging role of CMR in risk stratification.

Conclusions: In patients with LVH, CMR allows precise determination of the severity and distribution of hypertrophy, evaluation of ventricular function, and tissue characterization. The information obtained from CMR enables identification of the etiology of LVH and may aid in determining prognosis and therapy.