OBJECTIVETo determine whether preoperative contrast delay-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (DE-CMR) could help predict long-term survival of patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber after aortic valve replacement.

METHODSTotally 37 patients enrolled between February 2008 and November 2010 with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber, who met the echo criteria, that was left ventricular end diastolic dimension > 70 mm or left ventricular end systolic dimension > 55 mm, and were scheduled to the surgery. The 2-dimensional echocardiographic examinations and CMR with late gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) were performed routinely preoperatively. According to the results of CMR, the patients were divided into 2 groups: the LGE positive(+) group and LGE negative(-) group. The association of LGE with event free survival, postoperative cardiac function and postoperative hospital stay time was investigated. Fifteen patients had significant LGE signals in CMR films, while the other twenty-two were silent. All of them received the operative procedures, including aortic valve replacement in 28 cases, Bentall procedure in 3 cases, aortic valve replacement and ascending aorta replacement in 6 cases, and concomitant mitral valve repair in 11 cases.

RESULTSOver a follow-up of 33.6 months, 1-year, 2-year and 3-year event free survival rates in LGE(-) group were 94.7%, 88.4%, and 72.6%, respectively, compared to 80.0%, 48.9%, and 32.6%, respectively in LGE(+) group (χ(2) = 7.244, P = 0.007). The postoperative hospital stay time of LGE(-) group was (9 ± 2) days, which of LGE(+) group was (10 ± 3) days (t = 1.175, P = 0.248).

CONCLUSIONSLGE positive signal in CMR films is a potential predictor of persistent cardiac failure after aortic valve replacement for patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber. It has intimate relationship with malignant arrhythmia and sudden death, which makes it a valuable technique in preoperative evaluation and risk stratification.