Role of imaging in ablation therapy of ventricular arrhythmias. Focus on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a central role in the management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias. Cardiac MRIs help to identify patients with risk for life-threatening arrhythmias. Delayed enhancement identifies scar tissue within the heart. Because scar harbors the arrhythmic substrate in patients with structural heart disease, areas of delayed enhancement can be targeted in order to eliminate ventricular arrhythmias with catheter ablation procedures. In this article, we will discuss the role of MRI in diagnosing different forms of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and its role in risk stratification. Furthermore, we will discuss the role of MRI in imaging of the arrhythmogenic substrate in patients with structural heart disease.