Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(6):1400-1405

doi:10.12290/xhyxzz.2025-0294

Value of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking Technique in Evaluating Right Ventricle Function in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Induced Myocarditis

Peijun LIU 1 ; Yining WANG 1 ; Yi LI 1 ; Lu LIN 1 ; Xiao LI 1 ; Yingxian LIU 2 ; Hanping WANG 3 ; Jian CAO 1 ; Shihai ZHAO 1 ; Jian WANG 1

Affiliations

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Keywords

myocarditis; myocardial strain; magnetic resonance imaging; immune checkpoint inhibitors; cardiac function parameters

Country

China

Language

Chinese

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the clinical value of cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) technology in the assessment of the right ventricle function in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs)-related myocarditis.

Methods

Patients who visited Peking Union Medical College Hospital from April 2022 to April 2024, were diagnosed as ICIs-related myocarditis by cardiologists, and had normal right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) were enrolled in myocarditis group. Meanwhile, healthy individuals without cardiovascular diseases were selected as healthy control group. All subjects underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) examinations. Cardiac function parameters of the left and right ventricles were measured in the subjects, including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), RVEF, left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), right ventricular end-systolic volume index (RVESVI), and right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI). Additionally, myocardial strain of the left and right ventricles were recorded, encompassing left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS), left ventricular global circumferential strain (LV-GCS), left ventricular global radial strain (LV-GRS), right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RV-GLS), right ventricular global circumferential strain (RV-GCS), and right ventricular global radial strain (RV-GRS).

Results

A total of 30 patients were induded in the myocarditis group and 20 in the healthy control group. The LVEF in the myocarditis group was was lower than that in the control group [(58.0±6.9)% vs. (65.4±6.6)%, P < 0.001)].The RVEF was (57.2±5.2)% in the myocarditis group, and (59.6±4.4)% in the healthy control group, showing no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). LV-GLS, LV-GCS, LV-GRS, RV-GLS, RV-GCS, and RV-GRS in the myocarditis group were all lower than those in the healthy control group, with statistically significant differences (all P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Right ventricular myocardial strain obtained through CMR-FT technology can reveal early right ventricular cardiac dysfunction in patients with ICIs-related myocarditis, providing crucial evidence for early clinical prevention and timely intervention.