UH Physician Co-Authors International Statement on New Advances in Multimodality Cardiac Imaging for Pericardial Diseases

Innovations in Cardiovascular Medicine & Surgery | September 2024

The most recent guidelines on pericardial imaging from American Society of Echocardiography and European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging, as well as clinical guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology, are between eight and 10 years old and may not reflect current practice. For example, recent advances in both multimodality cardiac imaging of diagnoses, such as recurrent, transient constrictive and effusive-constrictive pericarditis, and targeted therapeutics, especially anti-interleukin (IL)-1 agents that affect the inflammasome as part of autoinflammatory pathophysiology, are not reflected.

Brian D. Hoit, MD

“There remains a large educational gap for clinicians, leading to variability in evaluation and management of these patients,” says Brian D. Hoit, MD, senior attending cardiologist with University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.

To remedy this, a group of world leaders in the pericardial field, including Dr. Hoit, has issued an international position statement. The new document focuses on novel concepts and emphasizes the role of multimodality cardiac imaging as well as new therapeutics in pericardial diseases. It was reviewed and endorsed by the American College of Cardiology Imaging Council and Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.

“This document aims to inform health professionals regarding new concepts and recent advances in the clinical applications of multimodality cardiac imaging in the management of pericardial diseases, with emphasis on diagnosis, risk stratification, and surveillance,” the panel writes in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.

Contributing Expert:
Brian D. Hoit, MD
Senior Attending Cardiologist
University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute
Professor of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine