Myocardial damage in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: CT evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate myocardial damage in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by ultrafast CT (UFCT) and estimate the improvement of DCM.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients with DCM were examined with UFCT, cardiac catheterization, left ventriculography (LVG) with manometry, and thallium myocardial scintigraphy (SCINTI). The findings of each examination were compared with each other. Especially, UFCT findings were compared with LV function.
RESULTS: Late enhancement, focal wall thinning, and fatty component were detected by UFCT as focal abnormal findings. Left ventricular segments with these findings on UFCT correlated well with asynergy on LVG (p < 0.01) and perfusion defects on SCINTI (p < 0.05). Patients with these findings on UFCT showed significantly lower LV ejection fractions (p < 0.05), higher LV end-diastolic pressure (p < 0.05), and a higher incidence of ventricular tachycardia (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The focal myocardial abnormalities in DCM patients were well depicted with UFCT. Ultrafast CT was useful in estimating the severity of DCM and classifying the DCM patients.