CMR-based estimation of mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance in CTD-PAH

Motivation: This research explores the potential of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) as a noninvasive tool for evaluating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in connective tissue disease-associated PAH (CTD-PAH) patients. Goal(s): The goal is to estimate mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) accurately using CMR metrics, with right heart catheterization (RHC) as the gold standard. Approach: Correlations between CMR and RHC parameters were assessed, and predictive models for mPAP and PVR were developed. Results: Strong correlations were observed between RHC and CMR metrics. Predictive CMR models were established for both mPAP and PVR, offering potential clinical applications. Impact: CMR parameters can be used to estimate mPAP and PVR in patients with CTD-PAH, potentially providing a noninvasive method for assessing pulmonary arterial hemodynamics during CTD-PAH management.