A call to action: improving access to cardiac MRI for diagnosis of immune checkpoint inhibitor related myocarditis in low and middle income countries

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is a rapidly expanding pillar of cancer treatment, but it carries the risk of immune-related adverse events. Among the most fatal is ICI-related myocarditis (ICIRM). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is the non-invasive current gold standard for diagnosis, with significant disparities regarding availability and utilisation. The vast majority of ICIRM cases are reported in high-income countries (HICs), reflecting not only patterns of ICI use, but also a profound diagnostic gap in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). LMICs face barriers to CMR access, including a stark deficit of MRI scanners, with approximately 1 scanner per million people in LMICs versus 26 per million people in HICs, prohibitive costs, and a critical shortage of trained radiologists and cardiologists. The inequity means that as ICI therapy becomes increasingly accessible worldwide, patients in resource-limited settings will be at a high-risk of undiagnosed and untreated ICIRM. Our paper issues a call to address this critical healthcare disparity. To improve CMR access for ICIRM diagnosis in LMICs, a multi-pronged strategy is imperative – Governmental support and policy change to prioritise infrastructure investment and integrate CMR into national health strategies; targeted educational programmes, such as the SWiM and ‘train the trainer’ initiatives, to build local expertise in CMR acquisition and interpretation; adoption of technological innovations, including cost-effective rapid CMR protocols and artificial intelligence (AI) tools that can reduce scan times.

Duke Scholars

Author Susan Faye Dent Medicine, Medical Oncology