The international journal of cardiovascular imaging最新文献

The prognostic significance of renal artery calcification (RAC) is unknown in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) eligible for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). RAC can be assessed by computed tomography (CT) performed during pre-interventional planning for TAVI. This study aimed at investigating the utility of RAC for predicting survival after TAVI. In this longitudinal cohort study, RAC volume was measured by CT in 268 consecutive patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI. Association of RAC with mortality was assessed using Cox regression analysis. RAC was evaluated as a binary parameter and in a supplementary analysis as a logarithmically transformed continuous variable. Over a median follow-up time of 9.6 years, 237 (88.4%) patients died, with 174 (73.4%) deaths attributable to a cardiovascular cause. RAC was highly prevalent (N = 150 (86.2%)) among patients suffering cardiovascular death. Competing risk cumulative incidence curves revealed a higher occurrence of cardiovascular death in patients with RAC (P-value = 0.008), while this was not the case for non-cardiovascular death (P-value = 0.71). RAC was independently associated with cardiovascular death (HR 1.61 [95% CI: 1.01-2.57]; P = 0.047) after adjustment for age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors, impaired renal function, and aortic valve calcification. The presence or absence of RAC rather than its volume was important in all the analyses. RAC is a strong and independent predictor of cardiovascular death in patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI. Given its favourable properties for event prediction, RAC may be considered valuable for prognostic assessment of TAVI patients.

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and dynamic stress CT myocardial perfusion (CT-MPI) are established modalities in the analysis of patients with chronic coronary syndromes. Their role in patients with suspected non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is unknown. CCTA with CT-MPI might assist in the triage of NSTEMI patients to the Cath lab. We investigated the correlation of significant epicardial lesions by CT-MPI in addition to CCTA compared to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) with fractional flow reserve (FFR) in patients with NSTEMI. Twenty NSTEMI patients scheduled for ICA were enrolled in this study with planned ICA. CCTA and CT-MPI was performed pre-ICA. For each coronary artery, the presence or absence of significant lesions was interpreted by CCTA with CT-MPI, using an FFR of ≤ 0.8 or angiographic culprit (stenosis > 90%, suspected plaque rupture) as reference. The main outcome was the per-vessel correlation. Sixteen out of 20 patients had a culprit lesion that required immediate revascularization. CCTA with ≥ 50% stenosis demonstrated a per vessel sensitivity and specificity for the detection of significant stenosis of respectively 100% (95% CI: 86-100%) and 75% (95% CI: 58-88%). CCTA with CT-MPI showed a lower sensitivity 90% (95% CI: 70-99%) but higher specificity of 100% (95% CI: 90-100%). CCTA with CT-MPI exhibits a strong correlation for identifying significant CAD in patients with NSTEMI. Thereby, it might assist in the triage of ICA in NSTEMI patients.

A 65-year-old male with chronic liver disease and refractory ascites was being evaluated for liver transplant, when constrictive pericarditis (CP) was suspected. Initial diagnostics were inconclusive due to overdiuresis. After suspension of diuretics, cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed CP, leading to successful pericardiectomy and normalization of liver function, emphasizing volume status and multimodality imaging role in CP diagnosis.

Objective: The reliability of various modalities for assessing and monitoring Fontan-associated liver disease compared to liver biopsy remains an intriguing subject of inquiry. Our objective was to assess the efficacy of multiple modalities in comparison to liver histology for evaluating liver fibrosis in post-Fontan patients.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving Fontan patients without known liver disease. Eligible patients underwent cardiac and hepatic evaluations, including ultrasound liver elastography, magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) of the liver, computerized tomography (CT) scan of the upper abdomen, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and liver biopsy. The severity of liver fibrosis was categorized using the METAVIR score derived from liver biopsy results: F0/F1 indicated no or mild fibrosis, F2 indicated significant fibrosis, F3 indicated advanced fibrosis and F4 indicated cirrhosis.

Results: A total of 38 patients (mean age 21 ± 6.5 years, 52.6% female) were included in the cross-sectional study, with a mean time elapsed since the Fontan operation of 13 years. Parameters obtained from echocardiography, ultrasound liver elastography, and CT scan of the upper abdomen did not exhibit significant differences among the groups. Notably, liver biopsy revealed advanced cirrhosis in 23 out of 38 patients and none were diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the factor significantly associated with significant liver fibrosis or cirrhosis in post-Fontan patients was liver stiffness with MRE > 4.4 kPa [OR 13.5 (95% CI 1.2-152.2)].

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that post-Fontan patients with liver stiffness of MRE > 4.4 kPa should undergo further investigation. These results contribute to understanding the liver fibrosis assessment in post-Fontan patients and highlight the importance of MRE in predicting significant liver disease.

Criss-Cross Heart is a congenital cardiac condition characterized by the anomalous twisting of the ventricles relative to the atria during embryonic development. The aim of this study is to assess the advantages and limitations of diagnostic imaging for the diagnosis and approach of patients with Criss-Cross Heart through a scoping review, associated to a case series. A retrospective study was conducted on four patients diagnosed with Criss-Cross Heart. Diagnostic tools including echocardiography, chest radiography, cardiac computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and cardiac catheterization were evaluated. The scoping review was performed using databases such as PubMed, Lilacs, and ScienceDirect, yielding 168 articles, of which 33 were included after screening and analyzing the information within the text. Echocardiography was the most effective diagnostic modality in all the four cases, as well as according to the literature available, accurately identifying the abnormal atrioventricular connections and associated cardiac defects. Cardiac catheterization and angiography provided crucial anatomic details for surgical planning, particularly in visualizing collateral vessels and coronary artery patterns. Cardiac magnetic resonance, while underutilized in these cases, proved valuable in the literature for comprehensive structural assessment without radiation exposure. Echocardiography remains the primary diagnostic tool for Criss-Cross Heart, while cardiac catheterization, angiography, and advanced imaging like MRI offer supplementary anatomical insights critical for surgical interventions. Early and precise imaging-driven diagnosis and management significantly contribute to favorable long-term outcomes, underscoring the importance of an integrated imaging approach in managing CCH.

The introduction of wire-free microcirculatory resistance index from functional angiography (angio-IMR) promises swift detection of coronary microvascular dysfunction, however it has not been properly validated. We sought to validate angio-IMR against invasive IMR and PET derived microvascular resistance (MVR). Moreover, we studied if angio-IMR could aid in the detection of ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA). In this investigator-initiated study symptomatic patients underwent [¹⁵O]H₂O positron emission tomography (PET) and invasive angiography with 3-vessel fractional flow reserve (FFR). Invasive IMR was measured in 40 patients. Angio-IMR and QFR were computed retrospectively. MVR was defined as the ratio of mean distal coronary pressure to PET derived coronary flow. PET and QFR/angio-IMR analyses were performed by blinded core labs. The right coronary artery was excluded. A total of 211 patients (mean age 61 ± 9, 148 (70%) male) with 312 vessels with successful angio-IMR analyses were included. Angio-IMR correlated moderately with invasive IMR (r = 0.48, p < 0.01), whereas no correlation was found between angio-IMR and MVR (r=-0.07, p = 0.25). Angio-IMR did not differ for vessels without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) (FFR-) but with reduced stress perfusion (PET+) compared to vessels without obstructive CAD (FFR-) with normal stress perfusion (PET-) (median 28.19 IQR 20.42-38.99 vs. 31.67 IQR 23.47-40.63, p = 0.40). Angio-IMR correlated moderately with invasively measured IMR, whereas angio-IMR did not correlate with PET derived MVR. Moreover, angio-IMR did not reliably identify patients with INOCA.

To study the relationship between myocardial infarction size (IS), myocardial edema, and diastolic dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction (MI) both in the acute phase, and in the development of diastolic dysfunction in the follow-up setting. A further purpose is to study diastolic function using a mechanistic model as well as conventional parameters. Patients underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and echocardiography including mechanistic analysis using the parameterized diastolic filling method within 4-7 days (acute) and 6 months after a first acute anterior MI (n = 74). Linear regression modeling of echocardiographic diastolic parameters using CMR IS with and without inclusion of the myocardium at risk (MAR) and model comparisons with likelihood ratio tests were performed. Diastolic parameters at 6 months follow-up were modelled using final IS. For most parameters there was no association with acute IS, except for deceleration time (R² = 0.24, p < 0.001), left atrial volume index (R² = 0.13, p = 0.01) and the mechanistic stiffness parameter (R² = 0.21, p < 0.001). Adding MAR improved only the e' model (adjusted R² increase: 0.08, p = 0.02). At 6 months follow-up, final IS was only associated with viscoelastic energy loss (R² = 0.22, p = 0.001). In acute MI, both IS and MAR are related to diastolic function but only to a limited extent. At 6 months after infarction, increasing IS is related to less viscoelastic energy loss, albeit also to a limited extent. The relationship between IS and diastolic dysfunction seems to be mediated by mechanisms beyond simply the spatial extent of ischemia or infarction.

Coronary Artery Disease-Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) standardises Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA) reporting. Coronary calcification can overestimate stenosis. We hypothesized where CADRADS category is assigned due to predominantly calcified maximal stenosis (Ca+), the CTCA-derived Fractional Flow Reserve (FFRCT) would be lower compared to predominantly non-calcified maximal stenoses (Ca-) of the same CAD-RADS category. Consecutive patients undergoing routine clinical CTCA (September 2018 to May 2020) with ≥1 stenosis ≥25% with FFRCT correlation were included. CTCA's were subdivided into Ca+ and Ca-. FFRCT was measured in the left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCx) and right coronary artery (RCA). Potentially flow-limiting classified as FFRCT≤0.8. A subset had Invasive Coronary Angiography (ICA). 561 patients screened, 320 included (60% men, 69±10 years). Ca+ in 51%, 69% and 50% of CAD-RADS 2, 3 and 4 respectively. There was no difference in the prevalence of FFRCT≤0.8 between Ca+ and Ca- stenoses for each CAD-RADS categories. No difference was demonstrated in the median maximal stenoses FFRCT or end-vessel FFRCT within CAD-RADS 2 and 4. CAD-RADS 3 Ca+ had a lower FFRCT (maximal stenosis p= .02, end-vessel p= .005) vs Ca-. No difference in the prevalence of obstructive disease at ICA between predominantly Ca+ and Ca- for any CAD-RADS category. There was no difference in median FFRCT values or rate of obstructive disease at ICA between Ca+ and Castenosis in both CAD-RADS 2 and 4. Ca+ CAD-RADS 3 was suggestive of an underestimation based on FFRCT but not corroborated at ICA.

Baseline cardiac functions are known to be potent predictors of cardiovascular events in the natural history of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). However, previous studies have not shown functional and morphological changes in the heart during tafamidis administration. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tafamidis on cardiac function by measuring right ventricular strain in patients with ATTR-CM. We performed a retrospective analysis of serial transthoracic echocardiography examinations (at baseline and one year after tafamidis introduction) using a vendor-independent speckle-tracking analyzer in patients with ATTR-CM. The entire cohort (n = 33; 30 men; mean age, 81 ± 5 years) was divided into two subgroups: the tafamidis treatment (n = 18) and the control (n = 15). After one-year tafamidis administration (oral tafamidis meglumine, 80 mg once daily), the average value of the right ventricular (RV) free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) significantly improved (-17.8 ± 7.9% vs. -24.5 ± 9.1%, p = 0.001), with a significant decrease in the frequency of positive RVFWLS test result (≥-22.0%) in the treatment subgroup (72% vs. 44%, p = 0.033). Moreover, tafamidis administration had large impact on RVFWLS improvement (p = 0.007, odds ratio: 22.0, 95% confidence interval: 2.344-206.480). A significant recovery of RV function was measured using RVFWLS. This may be one of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the favorable effects of tafamidis.

Carotid plaque radiomics-included models have increased the predictive capacity of cardiovascular risk, but the radiomic features of these models were inconsistent in previous studies. Lipids could be used to select the most important radiomic feature. A retrospective case‒control study was performed in 153 diabetic and 76 non-diabetic patients with carotid plaque detected by ultrasound. Cerebro-cardiovascular disease (CCD), comprising coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, was the primary outcome. Clinical variables and radiomic features of longitudinal carotid plaque images were collected. Principal component analyses were used to compare the power of radiomic and lipid features in discrimination between diabetes, CCD patients, and their opposites. Partial least square regression, logistic regression analyses, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were performed for high-risk radiomic features. The diagnostic capacity of the models was evaluated. PCA based on radiomics or lipids did not show good discrimination of diabetes, CCD, and their opposites. There were 6 overlapping radiomic features associated with lipid profiles, but only original_firstorder_Mean was negatively associated with diabetic stroke [adjusted OR = 0.468 (0.243-0.902), P = 0.023] and nondiabetic CHD [adjusted OR = 0.311 (0.123-0.783), P = 0.013]. The associations remained independent in the LASSO regression models (β=-0.032 for diabetic stroke, and - 0.026 for non-diabetic CHD). The diagnostic capacity of lipid-related radiomics for diabetic stroke (0.556 to 0.688) and non-diabetic CHD (0.690 to 0.783) was increased by the combination of these clinical variables. Carotid plaque radiomics is associated with lipids and stroke in diabetes, and quantitative features are useful for therapeutic guidance and cardiovascular risk evaluation in clinical use.