Cardiovascular magnetic resonance findings in typical versus atypical forms of the acute apical ballooning syndrome (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy)

To assess cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) findings in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), 17 consecutive patients (15 women) with TTC who underwent left heart catheterization and gadolinium-enhanced CMR were evaluated. All patients had an abnormal electrocardiogram consisting of ST-segment elevation (n= 8) and/or ST-segment depression (n= 4) and/or T-wave inversion (n= 14). One patient presented with left-bundle branch block. Left ventricular apical segments were involved in 10 patients (classical TTC), while they were not affected in 7 (variant form). Mean time delay between presentation and CMR was 9 +/- 7 days (range 3-24 days). CMR demonstrated complete resolution (n= 4) or significant improvement of initial WMA in all cases. WMA were confined to basal and mid-ventricular segments (segments 1-12 in the 17-segment model) in the variant form, while they were virtually confined to the mid and apical left ventricle (segments 7-17) in classical TTC. Upon presentation ejection fraction by ventriculography was lower in classical TTC (36 +/- 7% vs. 58 +/- 8%, p= 0.0001). However, upon follow up ejection fraction by CMR was not different between classical and variant TTC (49 +/- 9% vs. 56 +/- 11%, p= 0.23). Delayed hyperenhancement was absent in all but one patient. This finding may help differentiate TTC from entities with similar clinical presentations such as myocarditis and myocardial infarction, as the latter typically exhibits a subendocardial pattern of delayed hyperenhancement while the former usually displays a patchy subepicardial pattern. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.