Early Cardiovascular MR Imaging Predicts Late Scar Formation in Pulmonary Vein Isolation

Dana C. Peters¹, Warren J. Manning^1,2, Mark E. Josephson¹, Jeff Hsing¹

Early findings of edema and injury after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) might be predictive of later outcome. Eleven atrial fibrillation patients were imaged prior to PVI, 1 day after PVI (early), and >30 days after PVI (late), with a LGE and T2W sequences. Scar and edema were characterized. LGE enhancement is less intense at the early time-point vs later LGE enhancement, while early edema and wall thickening are common. More intense edema early after PVI predicts later scar formation, by LGE.