Background

Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are prevalent in the general population and are sometimes associated with reduced ventricular function. Current echocardiographic and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging techniques do not adequately address the effect of PVCs on left ventricular function.

Methods and results

Fifteen subjects with a history of frequent PVCs undergoing cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging had real-time slice volume quantification performed using a 2-dimensional (2D) real-time cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging technique. Synchronization of 2D real-time imaging with patient ECG allowed for different beats to be categorized by the loading beat RR duration and beat RR duration. For each beat type, global volumes were quantified via summation over all slices covering the entire ventricle. Different patterns of ectopy, including isolated PVCs, bigeminy, trigeminy, and interpolated PVCs, were observed. Global functional measurement of the different beat types based on timing demonstrated differences in preload, stroke volume, and ejection fraction. An average of hemodynamic function was quantified for each subject depending on the frequency of each observed beat type.

Conclusions

Application of real-time cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in patients with PVCs revealed differential contribution of PVCs to hemodynamics.