Published online May 23, 2015. doi: 10.5494/wjh.v5.i2.28
Peer-review started: September 30, 2014
First decision: November 14, 2014
Revised: December 5, 2014
Accepted: March 4, 2015
Article in press: March 6, 2015
Published online: May 23, 2015
Processing time: 234 Days and 13.7 Hours
Hypertension is currently one of the most prevalent illnesses worldwide, and is the second most common cause of heart failure, only behind ischemic cardiomyopathy. The development of novel multimodality imaging techniques in recent years has broadened the diagnostic methods, risk stratification and monitoring of treatment of cardiovascular diseases available for clinicians. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has a great capacity to evaluate cardiac dimensions and ventricular function, is extremely useful in ruling-out ischemic cardiomyopathy, the evaluation of the vascular system, in making the differential diagnosis for resistant hypertension and risk stratification for hypertensive cardiomyopathy and constitutes today, the method of choice to evaluate left ventricular systolic function. Computed tomography (CT) is the method of choice for the evaluation of vascular anatomy, including coronary arteries, and is also able to provide both functional and structural information. Finally, nuclear cardiology studies have been traditionally used to evaluate myocardial ischemia, along with offering the capacity to evaluate ventricular, endothelial and cardiac innervation function; information that is key in directing the treatment of the patient. In this narrative review, the most recent contributions of multimodality imaging to the patient with hypertension (CMR, CT and nuclear cardiology) will be reviewed.
Core tip: Diverse imaging modalities are playing a larger role every day in the diagnosis, treatment decisions and follow-up of patients. This is especially true in patients with hypertension. The merger of diverse imaging techniques has led to the rise of Multimodality Imaging, using tools such as cardiovascular magnetic resonance, computed tomography and nuclear cardiology that aid clinicians make the best therapeutic decisions. In this article, we will make a comprehensive review of the most novel contributions of multimodality imaging to patients with hypertension.