Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy is recognized as an important cause of death in young patients, particularly athletes. In the past 5 years, cardiac MRI techniques have evolved rapidly in an attempt to improve the noninvasive diagnosis of this disorder. Steady-state free precession sequences and more rapid fat saturation techniques have permitted a comprehensive and well-tolerated examination. The first formal testing of diagnostic accuracy among a broad range of readers has recently been completed. Despite these advances, limited spatial resolution and interobserver variability have prevented successful implementation of these methods. Future approaches may include high-field imaging at 3 Tesla, and viability imaging to improve diagnostic accuracy.