Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of eosinophilic endomyocardial disease

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is rare and frequently involves the heart with development of endomyocardial fibrosis, a characteristic restrictive cardiomyopathy. Non-invasive diagnosis is frequently challenging. Recent developments in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging techniques offer potential for improved detection and characterization of this entity. We describe the use of contrast-enhanced CMR to demonstrate thrombus, endomyocardial fibrosis and inflammation in eosinophilic endomyocardial disease. A three-layered appearance consisting of normal myocardium, thickened fibrotic endocardium with inflammatory exudate, and overlying thrombus was seen on cine-images. Post-contrast perfusion and delayed enhancement images confirmed the presence and location of endomyocardial fibrosis and thrombus. CMR is an important and powerful addition to current non-invasive diagnostic tools for the clinical diagnosis of eosinophilic endomyocardial disease, and may potentially obviate the need for cardiac biopsy in the future. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.