Comprehensive evaluation of structural and functional myocardial impairments in Becker muscular dystrophy using quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a genetic neuromuscular disease characterized by an alteration of the dystrophin protein. Myocardial involvement is frequent, eventually progressing to a dilated cardiomyopathy, and represents the most common cause of death for this pathology. We performed a comprehensive evaluation of myocardial functional and structural alterations encountered in a large cohort of BMD patients using quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

Eighty-eight BMD patients and 26 age-matched volunteers underwent standard cine and tag imaging to assess myocardial function and dyssynchrony, while native T1, T2, and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) were measured for tissue characterization. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LV-EF) was significantly reduced in 26% of the BMD patients. Patients exhibited higher dyssynchrony index than controls (6.94 ± 3.17 vs. 5.09 ± 1.25, P = 0.005). Diastolic dyssynchrony also exists in patients where systolic function was normal. BMD subjects, compared with controls, had significantly higher native T1, T2, and ECV (1183 ± 60 ms vs. 1164 ± 22 ms, 47.5 ± 4.5 ms vs. 45.6 ± 3.4 ms, 0.282 ± 0.050 vs. 0.231 ± 0.027, respectively, P < 0.05). Native T1, T2, and ECV correlated with LV-EF (R = −0.79, −0.70, and −0.71, respectively, P < 0.001) and N-terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide (R = 0.51, 0.58, and 0.44, respectively, P < 0.001).

Quantitative CMR represents a powerful tool to evaluate structural and functional impairments in the myocardium of BMD subjects. Native T1, T2, and ECV provided quantitative biomarkers related to inflammation and fibrosis, and could stratify disease severity.