Relevance of increased negative T waves in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with progressive myocardial damage: Insights from repeat cardiac magnetic resonance studies

Abstract

In patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), progressive electrocardiographic changes are observed during long-term follow-up. However, it is difficult to correspond these changes to the specific myocardial changes. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can elucidate myocardial changes by late gadolinium enhancement. Here, we present the long-term follow-up (>18 years) on a patient with apical HCM, whereupon, precise and continuous changes in the myocardium, causing ST segment and T wave changes on electrocardiography, were observed on CMR images. The combination of electrocardiography and CMR facilitates management of patients with apical HCM because it helps explain and understand the nature of electrocardiography changes over time.

Keywords

• Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Long-term follow-up
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
• Late gadolinium enhancement
• Electrocardiography