Viviana, M., Sabiha, G., Flavio, D., G, A.A., Mats, B., Silvia, C., Elena, C., Guido, C., Edoardo, C., Maria, S.d.l.G., Antonio, D.R., R, D.M., Alessia, G., Massimo, I., Andre, L.G., Jonathon, L., Pal, M.H., Aneil, M., C, M.J., . . . Daniele, A. (2026). Indications, protocols, and interpretation of cardiovascular imaging for the evaluation and management of athletes. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Part 2-Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Cardiac CT and Nuclear Imaging.. European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeag060
Viviana M, Sabiha G, Flavio D, G AA, Mats B, Silvia C, et al. Indications, protocols, and interpretation of cardiovascular imaging for the evaluation and management of athletes. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Part 2-Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Cardiac CT and Nuclear Imaging.. European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging. 2026; doi: 10.1093/ehjci/jeag060
Viviana M, Sabiha G, Flavio D, et al. Indications, protocols, and interpretation of cardiovascular imaging for the evaluation and management of athletes. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Part 2-Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Cardiac CT and Nuclear Imaging.[J]. European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging. 2026. DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jeag060.
@article{viviana2026,
author = {Maestrini Viviana and Gati Sabiha and D'Ascenzi Flavio and Almeida Ana G and Borjesson Mats and Castelletti Silvia and Cavarretta Elena and Claessen Guido and Conte Edoardo and Sanz-de la Garza Maria and Dello Russo Antonio and Dweck Marc R and Gimelli Alessia and Imazio Massimo and La Gerche Andre and Leipsic Jonathon and Maurovich-Horvat Pal and Malhotra Aneil and Moon James C and Niederseer David and Nijveldt Robin and Neglia Danilo and Pantazis Antonis and Perazzolo Marra Martina and Pugliese Francesca and Vassiliou Vassilios S and Sharma Sanjay and Petersen Steffen E and Papadakis Michael and Pelliccia Antonio and Andreini Daniele},
title = {Indications, protocols, and interpretation of cardiovascular imaging for the evaluation and management of athletes. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Part 2-Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Cardiac CT and Nuclear Imaging.},
journal = {European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1093/ehjci/jeag060},
note = {PMID: 42332979},
}
TY - JOUR AU - Maestrini Viviana AU - Gati Sabiha AU - D'Ascenzi Flavio AU - Almeida Ana G AU - Borjesson Mats AU - Castelletti Silvia AU - Cavarretta Elena AU - Claessen Guido AU - Conte Edoardo AU - Sanz-de la Garza Maria AU - Dello Russo Antonio AU - Dweck Marc R AU - Gimelli Alessia AU - Imazio Massimo AU - La Gerche Andre AU - Leipsic Jonathon AU - Maurovich-Horvat Pal AU - Malhotra Aneil AU - Moon James C AU - Niederseer David AU - Nijveldt Robin AU - Neglia Danilo AU - Pantazis Antonis AU - Perazzolo Marra Martina AU - Pugliese Francesca AU - Vassiliou Vassilios S AU - Sharma Sanjay AU - Petersen Steffen E AU - Papadakis Michael AU - Pelliccia Antonio AU - Andreini Daniele TI - Indications, protocols, and interpretation of cardiovascular imaging for the evaluation and management of athletes. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Part 2-Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Cardiac CT and Nuclear Imaging. T2 - European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging PY - 2026 DO - 10.1093/ehjci/jeag060 AN - PMID:42332979 ER -
The number of individuals engaging in sports continues to rise, and identifying those with cardiac substrates associated with increased risk of exercise-related adverse events is crucial. Athlete evaluation requires a refined diagnostic strategy to distinguish physiological cardiac remodelling from pathology. This joint European Association of Preventive Cardiology/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging consensus provides a multimodality approach for advanced cardiovascular imaging in sports cardiology. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance, cardiac computed tomography, and nuclear imaging each offer complementary insights into cardiac structure, function, coronary anatomy, tissue characterization, perfusion, and inflammation. When integrated with clinical data and first-line tests, they improve diagnostic precision and risk stratification in scenarios frequently encountered in athletes, including ventricular arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies, congenital coronary anomalies, inflammatory myocardial disease, and coronary artery disease. Standardized protocols tailored to age, training, and clinical indication are essential to ensure reliability and avoid misinterpreting physiological adaptation as disease. The consensus emphasizes responsible reporting, considering performance and legal implications of diagnoses, and recommends second-line imaging when justified. Functional imaging, for ischaemia or inflammation, is central in guiding return-to-play decisions. Persistent evidence gaps include limited normative datasets across athletic subgroups and uncertain significance of subtle tissue abnormalities. Overall, this consensus supports harmonized, safe, and judicious multimodality imaging to protect athletes while preventing unnecessary sport restriction.