Echocardiographic Applications in the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with ARVC

Abstract

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) is a genetically determined myocardial disease predominantly affecting the right ventricle (RV). There is no single gold standard for the diagnosis of ARVC/D. New echocardiographic tools such as tissue deformation imaging allow quantitative regional wall motion analyses. This is especially important for early ARVC/D diagnosis where global RV dysfunction may be lacking. Several studies have shown incremental diagnostic value for tissue deformation imaging derived parameters in comparison to conventional echocardiography. 3D RV echocardiography is a new method to evaluate the RV and provides volumetric measurements in a broad spectrum of ARVC/D patients. Due to the frequent implantation of implantable cardioverter devices, echocardiography could play an important role in the follow-up of ARVC/D patients. Emerging new echocardiographic tools are currently changing the role of echocardiography in ARVC/D. In the future, MRI and echocardiography should be considered complementary to evaluate ARVC/D.