Effects of Anthracyclines on Pericardial Adipose Tissue Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging - An Animal Experiment.

Background: Anthracyclines are widely used in cancer treatment, yet their potential for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) limits their clinical utility. Despite the significant anatomical relevance of pericardial adipose tissue (PeAT) to cardiovascular disease, its response to anthracycline exposure remains poorly understood.

Methods And Results: Male New Zealand White rabbits (n=17) received weekly doxorubicin injections and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans biweekly for 10 weeks. PeAT volumes (total, left paraventricular, right paraventricular) were measured together with ventricular function. Histopathological evaluations were also conducted. A mixed linear model identified the earliest timeframe for detectable changes in PeAT volume and left ventricular function. Total PeAT volume decreased from the 6th week (1.17±0.06, P<0.05) and continued to decrease until the 8th week (0.96±0.06, P<0.05) and left paraventricular adipose tissue volume decreased significantly, but no changes were observed in right paraventricular adipose tissue volume. The volume of PeAT exhibited a positive correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (r=0.43, P<0.05), which declined below 50% by the 8th week, and a negative correlation with myocardial cell injury scores (r=-0.595, P<0.05).

Conclusions: Anthracycline administration led to an early reduction in PeAT volume, particularly in the left paraventricular region, detectable by MRI as early as the 6th week. Changes in PeAT volume preceded alterations in LVEF and were associated with declines in cardiac function and myocardial cell damage.