Tavoosi - MD

Intensive exercise training leads to morphological, functional, and electrical remodeling of the heart, which are defined as ‘‘athlete’s heart’. Differentiating physiological remodeling of heart from pathologies such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic dysplasia of the right ventricle, and non-compaction myocardium is very important for the greater risk of sudden cardiac death of these conditions. Fortunately, disqualification from competitive sports may decrease risk of a life-threatening event in these patients.Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is an important imaging technique, particularly with detailed characterization of the heart and with high spatial and temporal resolution for diagnosis of underlying heart disease in athletes. CMR can provide relevant diagnostic information which may not be obtainable with traditional echocardiographic imaging, including precise assessment of LV and RV morphology as well as tissue characterization with LGE. Therefore, CMR should be considered as a part of assessment of athlete with suspicious structural heart diseases.