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J Med Chem 2020 Jul 13. Epub 2020 Jul 13.

The water-soluble vitamin biotin is essential for cellular growth, development and well-being but its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion are poorly understood. This paper describes the radiolabelling of biotin with the positron emission tomography (PET) radionuclide carbon-11 ([C]biotin) to enable the quantitative study of biotin trafficking in vivo. We show that intravenously administered [C]biotin is quickly distributed to liver, kidneys, retina, heart and brain in rodents - consistent with the known expression of the biotin transporter - and a surprising accumulation in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Read More

Minerva Cardioangiol 2020 Jul 10. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medical Sciences, "Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino" Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) morphology, investigated by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, has proved to relate to the risk of cerebrovascular events in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF). Aim of the present study was to assess reproducibility of Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) imaging in describing LAA morphology.

Methods: Two hundred consecutive patients referred for TEE were enrolled. Read More

Magn Reson Med Sci 2020 Jul 13. Epub 2020 Jul 13.

MR Applications and Workflow, GE Healthcare Japan.

Purpose: To characterize the non-laminar flow dynamics and resultant decreased wall shear stress (WSS) and high oscillatory shear index (OSI) of the infrarenal abdominal aortic dilatation, cardiac phase-resolved 3D phase-contrast MRI (4D-flow MRI) was performed.

Methods: The prospective single-arm study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and included 18 subjects (median 67.5 years) with the dilated infrarenal aorta (median diameter 35 mm). Read More

Rev Clin Esp 2020 Jul 9. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Clínico Universitario «Lozano Blesa», Zaragoza, España; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS), Zaragoza, España; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España.

Background: The increase in intraabdominal pressure (IAP) has been correlated with increased creatinine levels in patients with heart failure with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, IAP has not been examined in more stable patients or those with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Patients And Method: We conducted an observational, prospective descriptive study that measured the IAP of patients hospitalised for decompensated heart failure (HF). Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Soter Center for Women's Cardiovascular Research, Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York. Electronic address:

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of myocarditis among patients presenting with myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) in relation to the angiographic severity of nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).

Background: MINOCA represents about 6% of all cases of acute myocardial infarction. Myocarditis is a diagnosis that may be identified by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in patients with a provisional diagnosis of MINOCA. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2020 May 6. Epub 2020 May 6.

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, West German Heart and Vascular Center Essen, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.

Objective: Acute type I aortic dissection (AAD) represents a surgical emergency with time-dependent evolving complications. Frozen elephant trunk (FET) enables false lumen exclusion downstream but is still debated in AAD due to its greater dimension of surgery. To combine the benefits of fast proximal repair with the FET benefits, a 3-zone hybrid graft was developed consisting of an ascending polyester portion, an arch noncovered stent, and a descending stent graft. Read More

J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Padua Hospital, Department of Medicine - DIMED, University of Padua, Padua, Italy. Electronic address:

Objectives: To determine the incidence of postoperative diaphragm dysfunction as diagnosed by ultrasonography.

Design: Explorative prospective observational study.

Setting: University intensive care unit. Read More

Rev Bras Anestesiol 2020 Jun 18. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Takaoka Anestesia, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Núcleo Vida SBA (Grupo ETTI), Centro de Ensino e Treinamento (CET), São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Electronic address:

The use of ultrasonography is well established in several anesthesia sub-specialties. Recently, there has been a major expansion of the POC (Point-Of-Care) ultrasound technique in intensive care, surgery, and emergency medicine, corroborating that USPOC in perioperative medicine has a much more comprehensive capability for both providing improved hemodynamic monitoring and early diagnosis of complications. The objective of the present article was to describe the use of a USPOC modality (focused cardiac US) that can be used for bedside assessment of unstable patients. Read More

Echocardiography 2020 Jul 11. Epub 2020 Jul 11.

Diagnostic Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Vascular Department, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy.

Papillary fibroelastoma (PF) of the right atrium accounts for 2% of nonvalvular cases, and right appendage (RAA) PF was described only once in literature. We present three cases of RAA PF in patients with unrelated symptoms undergoing 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic examination (3D-TEE) scheduled for conventional indications. Key to diagnosis in routine practice resides in systematic examination of the right atrium and RAA in live 3D-TEE imaging with backward and forward navigation of the real-time pyramidal data. Read More

Cardiovasc Pathol 2020 May 23;49:107244. Epub 2020 May 23.

Area of Pathology, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.

Cardiac myxoma is a rare benign neoplasm of the heart. Historically myxomas were incidental findings during autopsies, however improved imaging techniques made these diagnosis possible in living patients, making the surgical treatment of these neoplasms achievable. Cardiac myxomas may occur both sporadically and in a familial context, often in the clinico-pathological picture of the Carney complex. Read More

Radiol Med 2020 Jul 10. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, V.le Regina Elena, 324 00161, Rome, Italy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of the cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) prescriptions according to the "2010-Appropriate-Use-Criteria-for-Cardiac-Computed-Tomography-Angiography" (AUCCTA) and "Clinical-indication-for-CCTA" (CICCTA) among different specialities (Cardiologist [CA], General Practitioner [GP], Other Specialists [OS]) and prescribers' age.

Materials And Methods: This is a single-centre, single-arm, cohort study. We prospectively enrolled 815 patients (October 2012-May 2019) who underwent a radiological outpatient visit, before CCTA examination. Read More

J Clin Med 2020 Jul 8;9(7). Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, 20138 Milan, Italy.

Stress computed tomography perfusion (Stress-CTP) and computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) are functional techniques that can be added to coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA) to improve the management of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). This retrospective analysis from the PERFECTION study aims to assess the impact of their availability on the management of patients with suspected CAD scheduled for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and invasive FFR. The management plan was defined as optimal medical therapy (OMT) or revascularization and was recorded for the following strategies: cCTA alone, cCTA+FFR, cCTA+Stress-CTP and cCTA+FFR+Stress-CTP. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2020 Jul;8(7):726-737

Department of Radiology, Denver, CO, USA.

The term interstitial lung abnormalities refers to specific CT findings that are potentially compatible with interstitial lung disease in patients without clinical suspicion of the disease. Interstitial lung abnormalities are increasingly recognised as a common feature on CT of the lung in older individuals, occurring in 4-9% of smokers and 2-7% of non-smokers. Identification of interstitial lung abnormalities will increase with implementation of lung cancer screening, along with increased use of CT for other diagnostic purposes. Read More

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2020 Jul 10. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.

Introduction: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is established in the cardiac evaluation in postnatal life, but its application to the fetus has been hampered by technical limitations. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of dynamic (MRI) of the fetal aortic isthmus using a magnetic resonance-compatible Doppler ultrasound device for cardiac gating.

Material And Methods: This prospective study included 19 fetuses at a median gestational age of 32. Read More

PLoS One 2020 10;15(7):e0235751. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Department of Cardiology, University Heart Center, Zurich, Switzerland.

Purpose: Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is characterized by a 2-layered myocardium composed of a noncompacted (NC) and a compacted (C) layer. The echocardiographic NC:C ratio is difficult to assess in many patients. The aim of the study was to assess the value of cardiac computed tomography (CCT) for the diagnosis of LVNC. Read More

Curr Opin Cardiol 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine.

Purpose Of Review: Noninvasive testing is often the first step in the evaluation of stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Stress cardiac MRI (CMR) is an established modality with high diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value. This review will focus on the recent advances in understanding how stress CMR can help guide patient care. Read More

J Clin Lab Anal 2020 Jul 10:e23345. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Background: Bladder cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the second most common urological cancer in Korean males. Current diagnostic tools for bladder cancer include cystoscopy (an upper tract study), urine cytology, and nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) test. In this study, we evaluated the detection rate of atypical/malignant urothelial cells in urinary sediment images when flagged for positive NMP22 test. Read More

Ann Palliat Med 2020 Jul 10. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are autoimmune diseases characterized by inflammation of skeletal muscle, primarily manifesting as chronic muscle weakness. Extramuscular organs can also be affected. Cardiac involvement is one of the visceral organ damages whose prevalence is underestimated and is a marker of poor prognosis leading to irreversible dysfunction or even death. Read More

Curr Cardiol Rep 2020 Jul 9;22(9):93. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Purpose Of Review: The clinical and incremental value of functional imaging with F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) for the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected native and prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (IE).

Recent Findings: The diagnosis of IE is challenging because of the highly variable clinical presentations, especially in the case of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). FDG PET/CT has been shown to play an important role for the diagnosis of PVE as a major Duke criterion. Read More

J Taibah Univ Med Sci 2020 Jun 25;15(3):249-252. Epub 2020 Mar 25.

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, KSA.

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection by the larval stage of the tapeworm . It affects liver, lungs and rarely other organs. Medical imaging provide the basis for diagnosis. Read More

J Surg Educ 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Division of Cardiology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Objective: Over the last decade medical students' interest in pursuing surgery as a career has declined. This is more apparent in high-specialized specialities such as congenital heart surgery (CHS). Early hands-on simulation has shown to have a positive impact on medical students' interest in pursuing surgery, however, its incorporation into medical school curricula is lacking. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2020 07 12;13(7):1615-1626. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota and VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg 2020 Jul;11(4):466-484

Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

The present perspective is a synthesis of published investigations in the setting of anomalous connection of the right superior caval vein to the morphologically left atrium or biatrial drainage of the right caval vein. We identified 57 suitable cases from 97 investigations, reviewing the clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities utilized, surgical techniques used, and their outcomes. Clinical presentation, radiographic findings, saline contrast echocardiography, computed tomographic angiocardiography, radionuclide perfusion scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiocardiography provided the diagnostic information and were used to define the disease entities before surgery. Read More

Minerva Cardioangiol 2020 Jul 8. Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy -

Introduction: The concomitant presence of myocardial necrosis with myocardial ischemia, stunning and hibernation may complicate appraisal of left ventricular (LV) function and patient management. Several imaging modalities have been proposed for the accurate assessment of myocardial necrosis, viability, stunning and hibernation, with mixed results. We aimed to review the evidence base on myocardial necrosis, stunning and hibernation by conducting an umbrella review (i. Read More

Neurol India 2020 May-Jun;68(3):624-629

Department of Neurology, Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.

Objectives: Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a temporary short-term reversible memory loss. Etiology of TGA remains unclear with various hypotheses. We analyzed clinical characteristics, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological findings as well as comorbidities and seasonal variation in TGA patients with regard to possible background of the syndrome. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2020 Jul 8. Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound and Echocardiography, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of FINE in generating and displaying 3 specific abnormal fetal echocardiography views such as left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) view, right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) view, and 3-vessels and trachea (3VT) view in fetuses with double-outlet right ventricle (DORV). In this prospective study, thirty fetuses diagnosed with DORV by fetal echocardiography in the second and third trimesters were enrolled. One or more STIC volume data-sets were collected from the 4-chamber view as initial view for each fetus, one optimal volume per fetus was selected for on-line analysis using FINE, and the diagnosis plane image was optimized using the Virtual Intelligent Sonographer Assistance (VIS-assistance). Read More

Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc 2020 Aug 1;29:100568. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Thomas Jefferson University, PA, United States.

Background: Right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold-standard in the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) but at the cost of procedure-related complications. We sought to determine the comparative accuracy of RHC versus non-invasive imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).

Methods: Pulmonary hypertension was defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) of>20 mmHg. Read More

Radiol Case Rep 2020 Sep 2;15(9):1428-1432. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Department of Thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, 170 Juwha-ro, Ilsansu-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonsgi-Do, South Korea.

Surgical resection is usually indicated for symptomatic mediastinal tumors. However, surgery potentially increases postoperative complications and hospitalization length in patients who are elderly, in poor general condition, or have tumors located in the thoracic inlet. We present an 84-year-old female with progressive cough and dyspnea for 1 week. Read More

Microcirculation 2020 Jul 8. Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at, UCLA and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

Diagnostic imaging technology in vascular disease has long focused on large vessels and the pathologic processes that impact them. With improved diagnostic techniques, investigators are now able to uncover many underlying mechanisms and prognostic factors for microvascular disease. In the heart and brain, these pathologic entities include coronary microvascular disease and cerebral small vessel disease, both of which have significant impact on patients, causing angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke and dementia. Read More

Eur J Radiol Open 2020 25;7:100235. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Department of Radiology, Charité University Hospital, Chariteplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.

Purpose: In this methodology paper we describe the development of a lung nodule management algorithm specifically for patients undergoing cardiac CT.

Methods: We modified the Lung-RADS algorithm specifically to manage lung nodules incidentally detected on cardiac CT (Lung-RADS for cardiac CT). We will evaluate the modified algorithm as part of the DISCHARGE trial (www. Read More

Vet World 2020 May 9;13(5):872-878. Epub 2020 May 9.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the accuracy of the current methods for diagnosing heart diseases in cats.

Materials And Methods: The data of 58 cats were retrospectively retrieved. Cats were classified into two groups: Thirty-eight cats with heart diseases and 20 healthy cats. Read More

J Intern Med 2020 Jul 7. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Rome-Sapienza, Rome, 00189, Italy.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is linked to a raised risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), although the underlying mechanisms are not completely known. A reduced myocardial mechano-energetic efficiency (MEE) has been found to be an independent predictor of CVD.

Objective: To evaluate the association between NAFLD and a compromised MEE. Read More

Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars 2020 Jul;48(5):514-521

Department of Cardiology, Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir, Turkey.

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a progressive infiltrative cardiomyopathy. Amyloid fibrils in the form of misfolded endogenous proteins accumulate in the heart, as well as the kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. The most common forms of CA are transthyretin (TTR) and immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL). Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2020 Jul 7:e016308. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

Heart Institute Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati OH.

Background Cardiac MRI (CMR) derived ventricular global function index (GFI), a ratio of stroke volume to the sum of mean ventricular cavity and myocardial volumes, has demonstrated improved prediction of clinical outcomes in adults with atherosclerotic disease over ejection fraction. We sought to assess CMR derived GFI and a novel modification that accounts for unique loading conditions in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) and determine its correlation with exercise performance. Methods and Results Seventy-five patients with rTOF who underwent CMR were identified. Read More

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Background: Hypoattenuating leaflet thickening (HALT), the radiographic manifestation of transcatheter heart valve thrombosis, is commonly identified following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and associated with increased risk of stroke and structural valve deterioration. While anticoagulation effectively resolves HALT, routine use remains controversial. We aimed to identify hemodynamic, anatomic, and comorbid predictors of HALT. Read More

EJNMMI Res 2020 Jul 6;10(1):75. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

WeiLun PET Center, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Room 517, 5/F, Weilun Building of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, 106 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.

Background: F-FDG PET/CT is a key molecular imaging modality to noninvasively assess and differentiate benign and malignant cardiac tumors. However, few benign cardiac tumors can be characterized by increased F-FDG uptake, which makes differential diagnosis difficult. This study sought to retrospectively evaluate whether combined F-FDG PET/CT with thoracic contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) helps in assessing primary cardiac tumors in adult patients, compared with CECT or PET/CT alone. Read More

Herz 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

I. Medizinische Klinik, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim (UMM), Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim, Universität Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Deutschland.

Routine determination of troponin levels is recommended for all patients with acute ischemic stroke. In 20-55% of these patients the troponin levels are elevated, which may be caused by ischemic as well as non-ischemic myocardial damage and particularly neurocardiogenic myocardial damage. In patients with acute ischemic stroke, the prevalence of previously unknown coronary heart disease is reported to be up to 27% and is prognostically relevant for these patients; however, relevant coronary stenoses are less frequently detected in stroke patients with troponin elevation compared to patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Read More

Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Department of Cardiology, AO Dei Colli, Monaldi Hospital, Via Leonardo Bianchi, 80131 Naples, Italy.

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2020 Jul 6;18(1):25. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, Via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy.

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disease difficult to diagnose and manage in severe hemodynamic unstable patients. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is considered useful to improve diagnosis, but such approach has physical limitations for the interposition of the airways preventing the clear assessment of the left pulmonary artery. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), a recently developed technique carried out using a modified bronchoscope having a small ultrasound convex probe at the tip allowing to perform ultrasonography examination of the mediastinum, can extensively visualize the pulmonary arteries on both sides. Read More

Vasa 2020 Jul 7:1-7. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

Munich Aortic Center (MAC), Department for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, Germany.

: Since the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in Europe has declined to about 2.5%, general screening programs of elderly men are being called into question. On the other hand, other vascular diseases (e. Read More

J Clin Med 2020 Jun 25;9(6). Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Department of Internal Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

To investigate the relationship between left ventricular (LV) long-axis strain (LAS) and LV sphericity index (LVSI) and outcomes in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) and myocardial replacement fibrosis confirmed by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), we conducted a prospective study on 178 patients (48 ± 14.4 years; 25.2% women) with first NIDCM diagnosis. Read More

Cardiovasc Pathol 2020 May 18;49:107242. Epub 2020 May 18.

Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Hospital de Santa Cruz - Centro Hospitalar de LisboaOcidental, Carnaxide, Portugal.

Background: Primary cardiac tumours are relatively rare. Cardiac myxomas are the most prevalent and in a significant proportion of cases they are accidentally discovered in asymptomatic patients. Noninvasive definitive diagnosis remains challenging despite improvements provided by newer imaging tools. Read More

Atherosclerosis 2020 Jun 15;305:42-49. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Background And Aims: Although carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is an established marker of atherosclerosis and carries independent risk for cardiovascular disease, its possible association with subclinical cardiac dysfunction has not been extensively evaluated. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) and peak left atrial longitudinal systolic strain (PALS) can detect subclinical left heart dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the association between carotid IMT and subclinical left heart dysfunction in a sample of the general population without overt cardiac disease. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address:

Aims: To evaluate diagnostic accuracy of different protocols of contrast enhanced computed tomography venogram (CTV) for LAA thrombus detection in patients undergoing AF ablation and study the correlation of the novel LAA enhancement index (LAA-EI) to LAA flow velocity obtained using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).

Methods: Study comprised of patients undergoing CTV and TEE on the same day from October 2016 to December 2017. Three CTV scanning protocols (described in results), were evaluated wherein ECG gating was used only for those with sinus rhythm on day of CTV. Read More

Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 2020 Aug;33(4):539-547

Department of Anesthesiology, Nonoperating Room Anesthesia, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Purpose Of Review: This article provides an overview of standard procedures currently performed in nonoperating room anesthesia (NORA) and highlights anesthetic implications.

Recent Findings: Novel noninvasive interventional procedures remain on the rise, accelerating demand for anesthesia support outside the conventional operating room. The field of interventional oncology has introduced a variety of effective minimally invasive therapies making interventional radiology gain a major role in the management of cancer. Read More

J Magn Reson Imaging 2020 Jul 5:e27276. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Section on Experimental Radiology, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.

Background: Quantitative assessment of pulmonary blood flow and visualization of its temporal and spatial distribution without contrast media is of clinical significance.

Purpose: To assess the potential of electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggered pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) imaging with balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) readout to measure lung perfusion under free-breathing (FB) conditions and to study temporal and spatial characteristics of pulmonary blood flow.

Study Type: Prospective, observational. Read More