Diagnostic Utility of Exercise Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in the Assessment of Cardiac Dyspnea.

Diagnostic Utility of Exercise Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in the Assessment of Cardiac Dyspnea.

Researchers are examining the diagnostic utility of an exercise cardiac MRI (eCMR) in the assessment of cardiac dyspnea (shortness of breath).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Consecutive patients aged ≥18 years years with suspected cardiac dyspnea who are scheduled to undergo right heart catheterization as dictated by a comprehensive examination and echocardiography will be included for enrollment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age <18 years
• Pregnancy
• Mechanical ventilation
• Acute or chronic renal failure (creatinine clearance <30 ml/min or requiring renal replacement therapy)
• Inability to perform MRI (i.e. claustrophobia, severe obesity (>150 kg), device incompatible with MRI)
• Inability to exercise
• Significant arrhythmia that precludes adequate ECG-gating for the MRI (i.e. atrial fibrillation with highly variable cycle lengths)
• Prior heart or lung transplantation
• Left ventricular systolic (ejection fraction <50%) or diastolic failure (based on Framingham criteria for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction)
• Significant left-sided valvular disease (≥moderate aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation) or prior valve surgery