Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: an integrated multi-imaging approach

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by the presence of transient left ventricular wall dysfunction without significant culprit obstructive coronary artery disease. Invasive coronary angiography and ventriculography are the 'gold standard' for definitive diagnosis, with an integrated multi-modality imaging approach offering advantages in various clinical scenarios. Echocardiography is a widely available, first-line, non-invasive imaging technique appropriate both in emergency setting to confirm diagnosis, assess for various potential acute complications, and in serial follow-up to track myocardial recovery. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) may be helpful to discriminate TTC from other acute cardiac syndromes with troponin elevation and ventricular dysfunction. Echocardiography, CMR, and nuclear imaging may also provide new insights into possible underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, and myocardial I-123-metaiodobenzyl-guanidine imaging may have a role for retrospective diagnosis in the subacute phase of late-presenting cases. The potential diagnostic role of coronary computed tomography angiography in the emergency room requires a further study.