Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is the commonest cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in developed countries. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most frequent cause of VT in individuals over the age of 30, while hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), myocarditis and congenital heart disease in those below 30 years of age. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), a non-invasive, non-radiating technique, can reliably detect the changes in ventricular volumes and the ejection fraction that can be predictive of VT/SCD. Furthermore, the capability of CMR to perform tissue characterization and detect oedema, fat and fibrotic substrate, using late gadolinium enhanced images (LGE), can predict VT/SCD in both ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy. The extent of LGE in HCM is correlated with risk factors of SCD and the likelihood of inducible VT. In idiopathic-dilated cardiomyopathy, the presence of midwall fibrosis, assessed by CMR, also predicts SCD/VT. Additionally, in arrhythmogenic right ventricle (RV) dysplasia/cardiomyopathy, CMR has an excellent correlation with histopathology and predicted inducible VT on programmed electrical stimulation, suggesting a possible role in evaluation and diagnosis of these patients. A direct correlation between LGE and VT prediction has been identified only in chronic Chagas' heart disease, but not in viral myocarditis. In CAD, infarct size is the strongest predictor of VT inducibility. The peri-infarct zone may also play a role; however, further studies are needed for definite conclusions. Left ventricle, RV, right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) function, pulmonary regurgitation and LGE around the infundibular patch and RV anterior wall play an important role in the VT prediction in repaired Tetralogy of Fallot. Finally, in treated transposition of great arteries, the extent of LGE in the systemic RV correlates with age, ventricular dysfunction, electrophysiological parameters and adverse clinical events, suggesting prognostic importance.

Myelodysplastic syndromes represent a group of heterogeneous hematopoietic neoplasms derived from an abnormal multipotent progenitor cell, characterized by a hyperproliferative bone marrow, dysplasia of the cellular hemopoietic elements and ineffective erythropoiesis. Anemia is a common finding in myelodysplastic syndrome patients, and blood transfusions are the only therapeutic option in approximately 40% of cases. The most serious side effect of regular blood transfusion is iron overload.Currently, cardiovascular magnetic resonance using T2 is routinely used to identify patients with myocardial iron overload and to guide chelation therapy, tailored to prevent iron toxicity in the heart. This is a major validated non-invasive measure of myocardial iron overloading and is superior to surrogates such as serum ferritin, liver iron, ventricular ejection fraction and tissue Doppler parameters.The indication for iron chelation therapy in myelodysplastic syndrome patients is currently controversial. However, cardiovascular magnetic resonance may offer an excellent non-invasive, diagnostic tool for iron overload assessment in myelodysplastic syndromes. Further studies are needed to establish the precise indications of chelation therapy and the clinical implications of this treatment on survival in myelodysplastic syndromes.

The occurrence of aorto-right ventricular fistula after an aortic valve replacement is rare. If it remains untreated, this condition can result in heart failure and could thus significantly compromise patient survival. Surgical closure is the treatment of choice; however, transcatheter closure has been attempted with relatively acceptable results. Here, we report on a patient who presented with heart failure with an aorto-right ventricular fistula that was present for nine years following aortic valve replacement. Successful transcatheter closure of the fistula with the use of the Amplatzer duct occluder was performed, suggesting that the percutaneous approach is an efficient technique for the treatment of such fistulae.

Introduction:Left Main Compression Syndrome (LMCS) represents an entity described as the extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) by a dilated pulmonary artery (PA) trunk. We examined the presence of LMCS in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT), as a non-invasive diagnostic tool.Methods:The following parameters were measured: PA trunk diameter (PAD), the distance between PAD and LMCA (LMPA) and the distance between PA and aorta (AoPA). These measurements were related with demographic, echocardiographic, hemodynamic and clinical parameters. Angiography was performed in two patients with LMCS suspected by cardiac computed tomographic angiography. Patients without PH but with angina were examined as controls, using DSCT cardiac angiography to assess the same measurements and to detect the prevalence of coronary artery disease.Results:PA diameter value over 40.00 mm has been associated with PH and LMCS. Furthermore, LMCS did not occur at a distance smaller than 0.50 mm between the PA and the LMCA, and did not correlate with the distance between the PA and the aorta or with cardiac index and NT-proBNP.Conclusion:DSCT may represent the initial testing modality in PH patients with dilated PA trunk to exclude LMCS. A periodical rule-out of this rare entity, as assessed by DSCT, in patients with a severely dilated PA seems to be mandatory for PH patients contributing to survival improvement.