The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging

Mocumbi, Ana

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9632-1pmid: 20446041

Faber, Lothar; Prinz, Christian; Welge, Dirk; Hering, Detlef; Butz, Thomas; Oldenburg, Olaf; Bogunovic, Nicola; Horstkotte, Dieter

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9678-0pmid: 20694748

Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) or two-dimensional (2D) strain imaging is a novel ultrasound method to assess myocardial deformation. Peak systolic longitudinal strain (PSLS) of the basal septum (IVS) and the opposite lateral (LVFW) wall were measured in addition to standard echocardiography in 88 consecutive patients (pts) with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM) who underwent a septal ablation procedure (PTSMA) and who were re-evaluated 12 ± 12 after months. At baseline, PSLS was substantially reduced both in basal regions. While PSLS remained unchanged in the basal IVS, i.e. the target region for PTSMA (baseline: −5.3 ± 4.1%; follow-up: −6.0 ± 4.3%; P = 0.06), it improved in the opposite LVFW (from −9.4 ± 4.7 to −12.4 ± 4.8%; P < 0.0001). Wall thickness decreased in both regions (Septum: from 20 ± 4 to 17 ± 4 mm; P < 0.0001; LV free wall: from 13 ± 2 to 12 ± 2 mm; P = 0.001). PSLS correlated significantly with wall thickness, both at baseline and at follow-up. NYHA functional class (from 2.9 ± 0.4 to 1.6 ± 0.6; P < 0.0001) and objective exercise capacity (from 96 ± 42 to 114 ± 42 W; P = 0.001) improved together with the reduction of outflow obstruction (LVOTO: from 62 ± 30 to 11 ± 19 mm Hg at rest, from 121 ± 26 to 43 ± 40 mm Hg with provocation; P < 0.0001). During the 12 months of observation, no patient had a severe adverse event. Regional myocardial deformation can be assessed quantitatively by STE. Reduction of LV afterload by elimination of the outflow gradient following a successful PTSMA with low doses of alcohol results in improvement of systolic lateral longitudinal function.

Nasr, Gamela; Sliem, Hamdy

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9682-4pmid: 20730497

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a powerful diagnostic and prognostic tool for evaluating coronary artery disease (CAD). Several studies have shown that it is increased in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Also, insulin resistance is generally considered to be of major importance in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However the area of screening prediabetics for coronary artery disease remains unclear. Given that glucose intolerance and insulin resistance precede the development of overt diabetes, these factors would be associated with ischemic heart disease. Evaluate the state of myocardial perfusion in prediabetic adults detected by Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in relation to insulin resistance. A descriptive study was performed. For 163 consecutive prediabetic adults of whom 62 had insulin resistance (group A) and 101 had insulin sensitivity (group B). All were subjected to full medical history and clinical examination including blood pressure, waist circumference body mass index. Biochemical studies including lipids profile, fasting glucose and HOMA test. Exercise treadmill technetium 99 sestamibi SPECT scintigraphy were done for assessment of myocardial perfusion assessed by summed difference score as well as occurrence of transient left ventricular dilatation. Significant increase in summed difference score as well as transient left ventricular dilatation were observed in group A than group B. It is correlated with insulin resistance and the correlation appears to be independent of glucose tolerance status and obesity. Similar correlations were observed with age, triglycerides and waist circumference. Prediabetics have myocardial perfusion defects which represent a pattern of cardiovascular risk factors. These changes are predominantly observed in these prediabetics with increased HOMA IR and visceral obesity independent of glucose levels.

Skala, Tomas; Hutyra, Martin; Vaclavik, Jan; Kaminek, Milan; Horak, David; Novotny, Josef; Zapletalova, Jana; Lukl, Jan; Marek, Dan; Taborsky, Milos

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9677-1pmid:

Stensaeth, K.; Fossum, E.; Hoffmann, P.; Mangschau, A.; Klow, N.

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9671-7pmid: 20652637

A variety of conditions other than acute myocardial infarction may cause ST-elevation. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) on differential diagnosis from a prospective series of patients with suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and completely normal coronary arteries. Among 1,145 patients with suspected STEMI, 49 patients had completely normal coronary arteries and entered a prospective registry. CMR was done within 24 h, if possible, and included function analyses, T2-weighted imaging (T2 ratio), T1-weighted imaging before and after gadolineum administration (global relative enhancement; gRE), and late gadolineum enhancement (LGE). All patients were asked for a follow-up CMR after approximately 3 months. The incidence of patients with suspected STEMI and normal coronary arteries was 4.3% and mean age was 45 ± 14 years (STEMI group 64 ± 13 years; P < 0.001). 55% had a recent history of infection. Cardiac biomarkers showed a moderate elevation on admission. There was a significant change from baseline to follow-up for LV end-diastolic volumes (EDV) (P < 0.001), LV mass (P < 0.05), mean T2 ratio (P < 0.05), and LGE volume (P < 0.05). Major diagnostic groups were myocarditis (29%), pericarditis (27%), and takotsubo cardiomyopathy (10%). 18% were regarded as non-diagnostic. The study showed an incidence of 4.3% of patients with suspected STEMI and completely normal coronary arteries. Early CMR was valuable in the evaluation of the differential diagnoses and to exclude myocardial abnormalities in patients with uncertain aetiology. Further studies are needed for the assessment of long-term outcome.

Spoel, Tycho; Lee, Joe; Vrijsen, Krijn; Sluijter, Joost; Cramer, Maarten; Doevendans, Pieter; Belle, Eric; Chamuleau, Steven

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9658-4pmid: 20577813

Heart failure is a major economic and public health problem. Despite the recent advances in drug therapy and coronary revascularization, the lost cardiomyocytes due to necrosis and apoptosis are not replaced by new myocardial tissue. Cell therapy is an interesting therapeutic option as it potentially improves contractility and restores regional ventricular function. Early clinical data demonstrated that cell transplantation, mainly delivered through non-surgical methods, is safe and feasible. However, several important issues need to be elucidated. This includes, next to determining the best cell type, the optimal delivery strategy, the biodistribution and the survival of implanted stem cells after transplantation. In this view, pre-clinical animal experiments are indispensable. Reporter genes, magnetic or radioactive labeling of stem cells have been developed to observe the fate and the distribution of transplanted cells using non-invasive imaging techniques. Several studies have demonstrated that these direct and non-direct labeling techniques may become an important tool in cell therapy. Integration of cell delivery and cell tracking will probably be a key for the success of cell therapy in patients. This review will provide a comprehensive overview on the various cell tracking and non-surgical cell delivery techniques, which are highly important in view of experimental and clinical studies.

Knobel, Zita; Kellenberger, Christian; Kaiser, Thomas; Albisetti, Manuela; Bergsträsser, Eva; Valsangiacomo Buechel, Emanuela

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9672-6pmid: 20652636

We sought to establish normal values for the diameters of the main (MPA), right (RPA), and left (LPA) pulmonary arteries and for the angles describing the geometry of the pulmonary artery bifurcation in children by using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA). CE-MRA was performed in 69 children without cardiovascular disease. The median age was 10 ± 4.9 years (range 2–20), weight 37.4 ± 18.5 kg (10–82), body surface area (BSA) 1.18 ± 0.4 m2 (0.48–2.07). The pulmonary artery diameters and angles were measured at standardized sites and projections. Regression analysis of diameters and angles in relation to BSA demonstrated linear relationship between the cross-sectional diameters of the pulmonary arteries and the square root of BSA (BSA0.5). Normalized mean diameters were for the MPA 17.6 ± 5.1 mm/m2, origin of RPA 13.1 ± 2.9 mm/m2, origin of LPA 14.2 ± 2.9 mm/m2. The MPA showed a mean antero-posterior inclination of 33° ± 8° and a lateral leftward angulation of 18° ± 5°. The mean angle of the bifurcation was 99.5° ± 10.3°. Both side branches showed a supero-inferior course of the proximal segments, steeper for the RPA (7.7° ± 6.5°) than for the LPA (2.1° ± 7.8°). Normative curves in relation to BSA are presented for all measurements. This study provides normative values by CE-MRA for the main pulmonary artery and its side branches in children during somatic growth. These data can be used for identifying pulmonary arteries anomalies in children, and evaluate the need and the modality for treatment.

Sadat, Umar; Teng, Zhongzhao; Young, Victoria; Zhu, Chengcheng; Tang, Tjun; Graves, Martin; Gillard, Jonathan

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9679-zpmid: 20700655

Plaque haemorrhage (PH) in atherosclerotic plaques is associated with recurrent thromboembolic ischaemic events. The healing process predominantly involves the repair of the plaque rupture site and the replacement of fresh PH with chronic PH, which is either reabsorbed or replaced by fibrous tissue. The extent to which the presence of PH, and its type i.e. fresh or chronic, affects plaque stability remains unexplored. Finite element analysis (FEA)-based biomechanical stress simulations can provide quantification of the percentage contribution of PH and its types to the biomechanical stresses of plaques, thereby providing information about its role in plaque stability. Fifty-two patients with atherosclerotic carotid disease underwent high resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of their carotid arteries in a 1.5 Tesla MR system. Twenty-three patients had MR-identifiable PH and were selected. Only those images of these patients were used for simulations, which had evidence of PH. Manual segmentation of plaque components, such as lipid pool, fibrous tissue, calcium and PH, was done using carotid MR images. Plaque components and vessel wall were modelled as isotropic, incompressible hyperelastic materials with non-linear properties undergoing deformation under patient-specific blood pressure loading. Two dimensional structure-only FEA was used for quantification of maximum critical stress (M-CStress) of plaques. The median M-CStress of symptomatic patients with fresh PH was 159 kPa (IQR: 114–253). Because PH usually occurs within the lipid pool, when the simulation was repeated with lipid pool replacing fresh PH to simulate the pre-rupture plaque state, M-CStress was reduced by 26% [118 kPa (IQR: 79–189) (P = 0.001)]. When fresh PH was replaced with chronic PH it resulted in a 30% reduction in the M-CStress [118 kP (IQR: 79–189), (P = 0.001)]. PH affects stresses within atheroma to various degrees depending on its type, thereby influencing plaque stability to a different extent, with fresh PH significantly increasing the biomechanical stresses. Plaque component-dependent stress analysis has the potential of identifying the critical nature of various plaque components.

Prompona, Maria; Muehling, Olaf; Naebauer, Michael; Schoenberg, Stefan; Reiser, Maximilian; Huber, Armin

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9675-3pmid: 20686854

Purpose of this survey was to estimate the value of MRI for the assessment of the anatomical and functional features of sinus venosus atrial septal defect (SVD). This prospective study included 13 surgically proven cases of SVD out of 81 subjects submitted to MRI due to inconclusive transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) or suspicion of high intracardiac and/or extracardiac shunt volumes based on echocardiographic findings. MRI examination included cine SSFP sequences, contrast-enhanced 3D gradient-echo (GE) sequences for MR angiography (MRA) and phase-contrast flow-measurements. MRI revealed nine patients with a superior and four with an inferior SVD. Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (APVD) was observed only in subjects with a superior SVD, and it was right-sided in all cases. All MRI and MRA results for the SVD patients were confirmed intraoperatively. The Correlation coefficient between MR flow measurements and cardiac catheterisation was 0.94 (P < 0.0001). According to MRI the rest of the subjects (n = 68) presented a secundum ASD, whereas in 18% an APVD coexisted. The latter MR outcomes concurred with the cardiac catheterisation (n = 56) and operative (n = 12) results. MRI provides a reliable, non-invasive method for evaluation of SVDs, APVDs and shunt quantification.

Abdulla, Jawdat; Asferg, Camilla; Kofoed, Klaus

doi: 10.1007/s10554-010-9652-xpmid: 20549366

To determine via a meta-analysis the prognostic value of 64-slice computed tomography angiography (CTA) by quantifying risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in different patient groups classified according to CT angiographic findings. A systematic literature search and meta-analyses was conducted on 10 studies examining stable, symptomatic and intermediate risk patients by 64-slice CTA. Patients were followed up for a mean of 21 month. Patient groups with CT-angiographic non-obstructive (stenosis <50% of luminal narrowing) or obstructive (stenosis ≥50% of luminal narrowing) CAD were compared to those having normal angiography without CAD. MACE (cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and revascularization) numbers were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) in each group. Ten studies including 5,675 patients were eligible for meta-analysis. The cumulative MACE rate over 21 months were 0.5% in patients with normal CTA, 3.5% in non-obstructive CAD and 16% in obstructive CAD. Compared to normal CTA, non-obstructive CAD was associated with significant increased risk of MACE with OR = 6.68 (3.01–14.82 CI 95%), P = 0.0001. Obstructive CAD was associated with further significant increased risk of MACE with OR = 41.19 (22.56–75.18, CI 95%), P = 0.0001. The studies were homogenous, P-value >0.05 for heterogeneity. 64-slice CTA is able to differentiate low-risk from high-risk patients with suspected or known CAD. Absence of CAD predicts excellent prognosis, while obstructive CAD is associated with markedly increased risk of MACE.