Prevalence of Pericardial Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Patients After Cardiac Surgery: Clinical and Histological Correlations
Authors' conclusion
Pericardial LGE is a frequent finding even several years after cardiac surgery. Its histological correlate is a chronic subclinical post-pericardiotomy inflammation.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients with previous cardiac surgery referred to CMR, January 2017–December 202115 with pericardial biopsy
- Participants
- 204 patients
- Outcome
- Prevalence of pericardial LGE after cardiac surgery and its possible determinants
Methodological detailsconsecutive patients, blinded independent observers
- Consecutive patients
- Blinded independent observers
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Pericardial LGE · median 160 months (35-226 months) after surgery
- Pericardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) prevalence
- 90 patients (44%)
- Pericardial LGE correlated with number of previous surgeries
- P=0.03
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Clinical symptoms · 1-year clinical follow-up
- All patients asymptomatic; no specific pericarditis treatment started; all remained asymptomatic at 1 year
Histopathology (pericardial biopsy, n=15)
- Pericardial fibrosis in biopsy specimens
- all 15
- Pericardial LGE present in biopsied patients
- 7 patients (47%)
- Low-grade inflammation with severe, circumferential pericardial LGE
- 6 patients (40%)
- Low-grade inflammation without pericardial enhancement
- 0
Original publication
Prevalence of Pericardial Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Patients After Cardiac Surgery: Clinical and Histological Correlations. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. Published 21 November 2023. doi:10.
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