s36_ab12

Cardiac involvement of Churg Strauss syndrome demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging

J.P. Smedema¹, P. van Paassen⁴, M.J.P.G. van Kroonenburgh³, G. Snoep², H.J.G.M. Crijns¹, J.W. Cohen Tervaert⁴

Departments of Cardiology¹, Radiology², Nuclear Medicine³, and Clinical Immunology⁴, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

ABSTRACT
Churg Strauss syndrome (CSS) may lead to cardiac involvement in up to 60% of patients. The myocardium, coronary vasculature, valves and pericardium may be affected. This results in significant morbidity and mortality, accounting for 48% of deaths due to CSS. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is used to evaluate cardiac structure and function, and is able to evaluate myocardial perfusion and delineate scar tissue. We are the first to demonstrate these features in a 53-year-old CSS patient who presented with palpitations and atypical chest pains, and was found to have myocardial perfusion defects and scar tissue, most likely secondary to vasculitis of the small myocardial vasculature and myocardial infiltration.

Key words
Churg Strauss syndrome, cardiac magnetic resonance, myocarditis, small vessel disease.

Abbreviations
CSS: Churg Strauss syndrome
ECG: electrocardiogram
ceCMR: contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Please address correspondence to: J.P. Smedema, MD, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Maastricht, Dr P Debyelaan 25, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
E-mail: j.smedema@cardio.azm.nl