Assessment of Right Ventricular Function by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IRMA)

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathophysiological condition defined by an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure above 20mmHg, which encompasses many very dissimilar conditions. Right ventricular function is the major determinant of survival in these patients. Currently, right ventricular function is estimated by trans-thoracic echocardiography via the measurement of standardised parameters. However, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is now the reference technique for non-invasive quantification of volumes, mass, function of the right ventricle but can also be useful for the consideration of the pulmonary circulation. Thus, indices of function can be extracted and it plays an increasing role in the prognostic evaluation of the right heart function at diagnosis and at re-evaluation under treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. This work will initially focus on the assessment of right ventricular myocardial work by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in comparison with invasive haemodynamic data.