The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis

Cardiac amyloidosis is characterized by extracellular deposition of abnor- mal proteins in the myocardium. A manifestation of cardiac amy- loidosis is the rapid progression of heart failure and the development of life-threatening arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, and embolic strokes. The diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis should be excluded in all patients with rapidly progressive heart failure associated with a restrictive remodeling phenotype in combination with myocardial hypertrophy. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered to be an accurate and specific diagnostic method. This article reviews the diagnostic MR-criteria for cardiac amyloidosis and provides confirmed clinical cases.