A Surgical Case of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy Evaluated by Multi Detector-Row Computed Tomography

(Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yotsuba Circulation Clinic, Matsuyama, Japan)

Yuichiro Yokoyama Harumitsu Satoh
For patients with advanced heart failure, surgical left ventricular restoration(SVR)is an option usually evaluated by nuclear cardiac imaging, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography. The clinical application of multi detector-row computed tomography(MDCT)has been increasingly extended to evaluate not only coronary artery stenosis, but also cardiac function, myocardial perfusion and viability. We report a successful surgical case of ischemic cardiomyopathy evaluated by MDCT in pre-and post-LVR. A 59-year old man was admitted to our hospital because of worsening heart failure. He had a history of coronary artery bypass grafting after myocardial infarction of the anterior wall at age 45 but had discontinued his medication 5 years previously. Ultrasonography showed poor left ventricular function, massive mitral regurgitation and a floating mural thrombus which required emergency surgery. In addition to conventional coronary angiography, electrographically-gated MDCT clearly described the complex coronary anatomy and stenosis, global and regional left ventricular function, and the relation between the mural thrombus and the scarred myocardium. Thrombectomy, LVR(overlapping type), coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral annuloplasty were performed. Postoperative MDCT showed improvement in left ventricular volume and function in the time-volume analysis, in wall thickness and wall thickening in both the SVR site and remote sites in four-dimensional volumetric imaing. Our case suggests that MDCT can be a valuable tool for the cardiac surgeon.
  Jpn. J. Cardiovasc. Surg. 39:94-98(2010)

Keywords:ischemic cardiomyopathy, surgical left ventricular restoration, multi detector-row computed tomography