Role of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Management and Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia in Patients With Structural Heart Disease

Treatment for ventricular tachycardia (VT) generally includes 1 or more of the following options: antiarrhythmic therapy, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and/or catheter ablation. Catheter ablation is performed with an electroanatomic mapping system to define the heart's 3D anatomy, as well as regions of scar. Radiofrequency energy is then applied to areas of abnormal substrate within which are located channels critical to the VT circuit. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a non-invasive modality that provides high-resolution images of cardiac structure and function. CMR has become a very useful tool for sudden cardiac death risk stratification and to facilitate successful radiofrequency ablation of VT in patients with abnormal cardiac substrate. The role of CMR in the management and treatment of VT in patients with structural heart disease is reviewed.