Evaluation of myocardial fibrosis and cardiac function in fibrotic lung diseases: a prospective study

This research sought to elucidate the possible fibrotic effects of lung diseases accompanied by fibrosis on the heart with mapping methods. In this prospective study, 35 patients with fibrotic lung disease and 17 healthy volunteer participants with no known disease were enrolled. Myocardial T1 relaxation value, lung parenchymal T1 relaxation value, diastolic dysfunction measurements were performed in the patient and control groups with a 1.5 T MR device. ECV value was calculated only in the patient group due to ethical concerns. In patients with fibrotic lung disease, myocardial native T1 relaxation value was statistically significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Myocardial ECV value was found to be higher in patients with fibrotic lung disease compared to literature data. In the patient group, the native T1 relaxation value of the lung parenchyma in the area thought to be morphologically fibrotic was statistically significantly higher than the native T1 relaxation value of the lung parenchyma in the control group (p < 0.001). The native T1 relaxation value of the morphologically normal lung parenchyma in the patient group was significantly higher than the lung native T1 relaxation value of the control group (p < 0.001). High myocardial native T1 relaxation values ​​and ECV in the patient group suggest that fibrotic lung diseases, like other systemic diseases affecting the heart, may also affect the myocardium. The development of cardiac MRI techniques will facilitate the effect of fibrotic lung diseases on myocardial fibrosis.