Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature review
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic, multisystem disorder characterized by vascular dysfunction, immune dysregulation with production of autoantibodies, fibroblasts dysfunction and consequent abnormal collagen production, leading to progressive fibrosis of the skin and various organs. Cardiac invo...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1606593/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849390392411160576 |
|---|---|
| author | Giovanni Vitale Matteo Colina Domenico Attinà Fabio Niro Paolo Ortolani |
| author_facet | Giovanni Vitale Matteo Colina Domenico Attinà Fabio Niro Paolo Ortolani |
| author_sort | Giovanni Vitale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic, multisystem disorder characterized by vascular dysfunction, immune dysregulation with production of autoantibodies, fibroblasts dysfunction and consequent abnormal collagen production, leading to progressive fibrosis of the skin and various organs. Cardiac involvement is common, affecting the myocardium, pericardium, valvular structures and conduction tissue, even though it is often unrecognized. Despite this, it is a major determinant of morbidity and mortality in SSc, being responsible for about 15% of all deaths. Due to the relevant prognostic implications of cardiac involvement its early detection is mandatory. A comprehensive screening through a multimodality approach is required in all patients with SSc, even in those without overt cardiac symptoms. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is now considered the gold standard for non-invasive detection of the myocardial disease SSc related. It provides not only a morphological and functional assessment, but also offers an ultrastructural definition of the myocardium, particularly by the detection of fibrosis and myocardial inflammation (MI), unmasking an initial myocardial involvement since the early stage of disease. The aim of this review is to describe the potential spectrum of cardiac involvement in SSc, and to highlight central role of CMR in its detection, offering a comprehensive description of the imaging features and their prognostic implication. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ed31434ca5a54762a2d6e3f55fb3ec12 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-858X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-ed31434ca5a54762a2d6e3f55fb3ec122025-08-20T03:41:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2025-08-011210.3389/fmed.2025.16065931606593Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature reviewGiovanni Vitale0Matteo Colina1Domenico Attinà2Fabio Niro3Paolo Ortolani4Cardiology Unit, Ospedale Santa Maria della Scaletta, Imola, ItalyService of Rheumatology, Section of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Oncology, Ospedale Santa Maria della Scaletta, Imola, ItalyDepartment of Pediatric and Adult Cardio-Thoracovascular, Oncohematologic and Emergencies Radiology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Pediatric and Adult Cardio-Thoracovascular, Oncohematologic and Emergencies Radiology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, ItalyCardiology Unit, Ospedale Santa Maria della Scaletta, Imola, ItalySystemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic, multisystem disorder characterized by vascular dysfunction, immune dysregulation with production of autoantibodies, fibroblasts dysfunction and consequent abnormal collagen production, leading to progressive fibrosis of the skin and various organs. Cardiac involvement is common, affecting the myocardium, pericardium, valvular structures and conduction tissue, even though it is often unrecognized. Despite this, it is a major determinant of morbidity and mortality in SSc, being responsible for about 15% of all deaths. Due to the relevant prognostic implications of cardiac involvement its early detection is mandatory. A comprehensive screening through a multimodality approach is required in all patients with SSc, even in those without overt cardiac symptoms. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is now considered the gold standard for non-invasive detection of the myocardial disease SSc related. It provides not only a morphological and functional assessment, but also offers an ultrastructural definition of the myocardium, particularly by the detection of fibrosis and myocardial inflammation (MI), unmasking an initial myocardial involvement since the early stage of disease. The aim of this review is to describe the potential spectrum of cardiac involvement in SSc, and to highlight central role of CMR in its detection, offering a comprehensive description of the imaging features and their prognostic implication.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1606593/fullcardiac magnetic resonancefibrosissystemic sclerosispulmonary arterial hypertensionprognostic factorsmyocardial inflammation |
| spellingShingle | Giovanni Vitale Matteo Colina Domenico Attinà Fabio Niro Paolo Ortolani Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature review Frontiers in Medicine cardiac magnetic resonance fibrosis systemic sclerosis pulmonary arterial hypertension prognostic factors myocardial inflammation |
| title | Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature review |
| title_full | Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature review |
| title_fullStr | Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature review |
| title_short | Cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis: imaging features and potential prognostic implications. A literature review |
| title_sort | cardiac magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis imaging features and potential prognostic implications a literature review |
| topic | cardiac magnetic resonance fibrosis systemic sclerosis pulmonary arterial hypertension prognostic factors myocardial inflammation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1606593/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT giovannivitale cardiacmagneticresonanceinsystemicsclerosisimagingfeaturesandpotentialprognosticimplicationsaliteraturereview AT matteocolina cardiacmagneticresonanceinsystemicsclerosisimagingfeaturesandpotentialprognosticimplicationsaliteraturereview AT domenicoattina cardiacmagneticresonanceinsystemicsclerosisimagingfeaturesandpotentialprognosticimplicationsaliteraturereview AT fabioniro cardiacmagneticresonanceinsystemicsclerosisimagingfeaturesandpotentialprognosticimplicationsaliteraturereview AT paoloortolani cardiacmagneticresonanceinsystemicsclerosisimagingfeaturesandpotentialprognosticimplicationsaliteraturereview |