The Incremental Value of Myocardial Viability, Evaluated by 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography, and Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance for Mortality Prediction in Patients with Previous Myocardial Infarction and Symptomatic Heart Failure

Objectives To find the imaging mortality predictors in patients with previous myocardial infarction (MI), symptomatic heart failure (HF), and reduced left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction (EF). Methods for the study 39 patients were selected prospectively with prior MI, symptomatic HF, and LVEF ≤40%. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI), 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (FDG PET). 31 patients underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). Patients were divided into two groups: 1 group – cardiac death; 2 group – no cardiac death. Myocardial scars were assessed on a 5-point-scale. Follow-up data was obtained. Results Imaging features disclosed significant difference ( p < 0.05) of defect score (CMR and SPECT-PET), LV end-diastolic diameter (EDD) (TTE), LVEDD index (CMR), LV global longitudinal strain (CMR) and LV global circumferential strain (CMR) between the groups. Predictors of cardiac death were: LVEDD index (TTE) and LV global longitudinal strain. The cut-off values to predict cardiac death were: defect score (CMR) 25 (AUC, 79.5%; OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.7), SPECT-PET defect score 22 (AUC, 73.9%; OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3–0.7), LVEDD (TTE) 58 mm (AUC, 88.4%; OR 23.6, 95% CI 2.6–217.7), LVEDDi 30 mm/m2 (TTE) (AUC, 73.6%; OR 22.0, 95% CI 1.9–251.5), LVEDDi 33.6 mm/m2 (CMR) (AUC, 73.6%; OR 22.0, 95% CI 1.9–251.5), LV global longitudinal strain −13.4 (AUC, 87.8%; OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2–3.7) and LV global circumferential strain −16.3 (AUC, 76.1%; OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–3.0). Conclusions Imaging features, such as defect score (CMR) >25, SPECT-PET defect score >22, LVEDD (TTE) >58 mm, LVEDDi (TTE) >30 mm/m2, LVEDDi (CMR) >33.6 mm/m2, LV global longitudinal strain −13.4 and LV global circumferential strain −16.3, may increase sensitivity and specificity of FDG PET and LGE CMR predicting of late mortality.