MRI Cardiac Myocardial Viability

[Wolfgirl71]

Hi,

I posted last year about various problems I’ve been having and things haven’t yet improved.

My angiogram was clear, my stress test was ok other than me being in bundle branch block for most of it (I felt ok). However the echocardiogram and 24 hour ECG have clearly shown various issues, some structural, some electrical.

I don’t have an NHS appointment with my cardiologist until May but managed to get an appointment to see him privately later this month which helped with my stress levels.

However, I have now checked my hospital app and seen that I have been referred for an ‘MRI Cardiac Myocardial Viability’ - I have googled this but I haven’t found much of help, or been able to ascertain what it is actually for, and I am guessing it has more than one purpose.

Can anyone shed any light? I’ve had various MRIs in the past but nothing cardiac. I don’t want to pay for the private appointment if it makes more sense to wait until after the MRI - but I have no idea when that will be.

(I have tried to ask the hospital but they can’t answer, and I’ve left messages with the cardiologist’s secretary but no response yet)

[Yumz199725]

Hi wolfgirl71

Just read your post glad all your other tests were normal that's good sorry. Did they say what structural and electrical issues showed up on the ecg and echo? Or do they need to get more info hense the cardiac MRI.

I'm gona, well supposed to be having an MRI in the next 6 months that's what I was told last month and another stress test and holter monitor I think they want to see if my aortic leak has got any worse from previous scans last time I had one was 2017 I think so quite a long time ago its now moderate to severe so hopefully hasnt got any worse 🙏.

Wish you all the best with your MRI when you are able to have hope it sheds some light on what structural and electrical issues you have.

Take care ❤️

[Wolfgirl71 in reply to Yumz199725]

Thanks Yumz.

I don’t know the extent of the problems yet, I only have Dr Google to advise at present but the tests show some too high/too low scores in a few areas including fractional shortening, ejection fraction, left ventricular size, bundle branch block.

A Dr (not cardiology) friend of mine had a look and said my heart isn’t working efficiently but couldn’t expand too much as not her area of expertise and didn’t want to speculate.

It’s a worry as I’ve been feeling rubbish since August/September last year and aside from many years of migraines I’ve always thought of myself as pretty health and already eat well, never smoked, barely drink, exercise, not overweight so not much else I can do to help myself.

I managed to speak to the private secretary later today and she is going to speak to the cardiologist and see what he recommends doing as she says it is about a 12 week wait for the MRI. Hopefully I will hear back tomorrow.

I hope you hear about your tests soon, the waiting is the hardest bit. An aortic leak sounds worrying, what treatment/medications have you had/are you on? Is there an operation that can help with that?

It’s all such a worry.

[Yumz199725 in reply to Wolfgirl71]

Aw im glad some one got back to you. 12 weeks sounds like a long wait but that will fly by 😉. Yeah I'll probably be waiting longer then that they said there's a backlog of admin or something so getting appointments through will take a few months. An aortic leak does sound worrying but I'm learning from this and a group I follow on face book alot of people have it and it can be mild, moderate, severe and will eventually require valve repair or replacement surgery, in my case will be valve replacement surgery but don't know when I'm gona have I have been told eventually but not yet. I'm on verapamil 40mg x2 for VT that they caught on a holter monitor multiple ones before they actually caught something.

[Wolfgirl71]

I struggle with the waiting as it is frustrating feeling rubbish and knowing that it will drag on until I can be seen and possibly longer, my life is busy and I feel too young to be this restricted.

Fingers crossed that we both get some positive news soon.

[EU95PTM]

I had a cardiac MRI a couple of months ago. It took 3 weeks to get the full written report (and a while for me to decipher the medical terminology)! I don’t know if this is the standard for all cardiac MRIs but the following was checked on mine.

Left ventricle - size, pumping ability (ejection fraction) myocardial thickness and movement

Valves - mobility and whether any regurgitation

Aorta - size and appearance

Atrium - size and appearance

Right ventricle - size and function, also checked for any wall motion abnormalities

Pericardium - Checked for effusions and thickening

Tissue characterisation - checking for tissue damage/scarring

Conclusion - summing up of findings

In my case they they used GAD which was injected via a cannula towards the end of the scan to enhance areas of myocardial damage. This showed that there was damage to my left ventricle following a heart attack. They were very specific that 5 out of 17 segments were “non-viable” and listed the segments affected. I had to google what this meant and found illustrations of these “segments” so I know know precisely the area that was damaged.

Hopefully this wait will pass quite quickly for you. I also had a similar wait and it was frustrating at times, but you should get the answers you need from your cardiologist once it has taken place. Wishing you all the best.