Assessment of Anthracycline-Induced Effects on Pericardial Adipose Tissue Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging: An Animal Study

Motivation: Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) is a significant complication of chemotherapy, impacting both treatment and patient outcomes. Goal(s): The study assessed PAT's diagnostic value by analyzing its changes in relation to other cardiac indices at various intervals. Approach: This study evaluated pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) as a biomarker for AIC. Serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed bi-weekly on chemotherapy-treated rabbits to monitor cardiac parameters. Results: Results indicated that PAT alterations during chemotherapy could serve as a diagnostic tool for AIC, with established diagnostic thresholds. Impact: Our experimental findings revealed changes in PAT during the chemotherapy cycle and validated its diagnostic efficacy, offering a new basis for cardiac injury detection and dose individualization of chemotherapeutic agents.