The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2015
Observational StudyExercise stress echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging in risk stratification of mild to moderate aortic stenosis.
Patients with mild to moderate aortic stenosis (AS) seem to have a worse outcome than commonly expected. Early identification of subjects who may develop a rapid disease progression or cardiovascular events is critical in order to apply adequate risk management. ⋯ A ≥ 15 stress-induced increase in E/e' ratio is highly predictive of cardiac events in patients with mild to moderate AS. Assessment of diastolic function using TDI during ESE provides additional prognostic information in such patients.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2015
Comparative StudySemiautomatic three-dimensional CT ventricular volumetry in patients with congenital heart disease: agreement between two methods with different user interaction.
To assess agreement between two semi-automatic, three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) ventricular volumetry methods with different user interactions in patients with congenital heart disease. In 30 patients with congenital heart disease (median age 8 years, range 5 days-33 years; 20 men), dual-source, multi-section, electrocardiography-synchronized cardiac CT was obtained at the end-systolic (n = 22) and/or end-diastolic (n = 28) phase. Nineteen left ventricle end-systolic (LV ESV), 28 left ventricle end-diastolic (LV EDV), 22 right ventricle end-systolic (RV ESV), and 28 right ventricle end-diastolic volumes (RV EDV) were successfully calculated using two semi-automatic, 3D segmentation methods with different user interactions (high in method 1, low in method 2). ⋯ In contrast, no statistically significant difference in RV EDV (122.57 ± 88.57 ml in method 1, 123.83 ± 89.89 ml in method 2; P = 0.36) was found between the two methods. All ventricular volumes showed very high correlation (R = 0.978, 0.993, 0.985, 0.997 for LV ESV, LV EDV, RV ESV, and RV EDV, respectively; P < 0.001) between the two methods. In patients with congenital heart disease, 3D CT ventricular volumetry shows good agreement and high correlation between the two methods, but method 2 tends to slightly underestimate LV ESV, LV EDV, and RV ESV.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2015
Comparative StudyDiagnostic performance of quantitative coronary computed tomography angiography and quantitative coronary angiography to predict hemodynamic significance of intermediate-grade stenoses.
Fractional flow reserve (FFR) during invasive coronary angiography has become an established tool for guiding treatment. However, only one-third of intermediate-grade coronary artery stenosis (ICAS) are hemodynamically significant and require coronary revascularization. Additionally, the severity of stenosis visually established by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) does not reliably correlate with the functional severity. ⋯ Best predictors for FFR ≤ 0.80 stenosis were ≤ 1.35 mm MLD (82% sensitivity, 66% specificity), and ≤ 2.3 mm(²) minimal lumen area (88% sensitivity, 60% specificity) on CCTA, and ≤ 1.1 mm MLD (59% sensitivity, 77% specificity) on QCA. Quantitative CCTA and QCA poorly predict hemodynamic significance of ICAS, though CCTA seems to have a better sensitivity than QCA. In this range of stenoses, additional functional evaluation is required.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2015
Observational StudyAdditive prognostic value of coronary artery calcium score and renal function in patients with acute chest pain without known coronary artery disease: up to 5-year follow-up.
Long-term incremental prognostic value of renal function over coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in symptomatic patients without known coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. The objective of this study was to examine additive prognostic value of renal function over CACS in patients with acute chest pain suspected of CAD. Renal function and CACS were assessed in patients without known CAD who presented to the emergency department with chest pain from 2005 to 2008. ⋯ In multivariate logistic regression analysis, CACS categories (CACS 1-100: HR 3.17, p = 0.005; CACS 101-400: HR 7.68, p < 0.001; CACS > 400: HR 8.88, p < 0.001) and CKD (HR 10.18, p < 0.001) were independent predictors for MACE. Both adding renal function and CACS significantly improved the overall predictive performance (p < 0.001 for global Chi square increase) from Framingham risk categories or thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) risk score. Both CACS and renal function were independent predictors for future cardiac events and provided additive prognostic value to each other and over either Framingham risk categories or TIMI risk score.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2015
Feasibility and influence of hTEE monitoring on postoperative management in cardiac surgery patients.
Monoplane hemodynamic TEE (hTEE) monitoring (ImaCor(®) ClariTEE(®)) might be a useful alternative to continuously evaluate cardiovascular function and we aimed to investigate the feasibility and influence of hTEE monitoring on postoperative management in cardiac surgery patients. After IRB approval we reviewed the electronic data of cardiac surgery patients admitted to our intensive care between 01/01/2012 and 30/06/2013 in a case-controlled matched-pairs design. Patients were eligible for the study when they presented a sustained hemodynamic instability postoperatively with the clinical need of an extended hemodynamic monitoring: (a) hTEE (hTEE group, n = 18), or (b) transpulmonary thermodilution (control group, n = 18). hTEE was performed by ICU residents after receiving an approximately 6-h hTEE training session. ⋯ The hTEE probe was blindly inserted at the first attempt in all patients and image quality was at least judged to be adequate. The frequency of hemodynamic examinations was higher (ten complete hTEE examinations every 2.6 h) in contrast to the control group (one examination every 8 h). hTEE findings, including five unexpected right heart failure and one pericardial tamponade, led to a change of current therapy in 89% of patients. The cumulative dose of epinephrine was significantly reduced (p = 0.034) and levosimendan administration was significantly increased (p = 0.047) in the hTEE group. hTEE was non-inferior to the control group in guiding norepinephrine treatment (p = 0.038). hTEE monitoring performed by ICU residents was feasible and beneficially influenced the postoperative management of cardiac surgery patients.