The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2014
Comparative StudyReproducibility of area at risk assessment in acute myocardial infarction by T1- and T2-mapping sequences in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in comparison to Tc99m-sestamibi SPECT.
Area at risk (AAR) is an important parameter for the assessment of the salvage area after revascularization in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). By combining AAR assessment by T2-weighted imaging and scar quantification by late gadolinium enhancement imaging cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) offers a promising alternative to the "classical" modality of Tc99m-sestamibi single photon emission tomography (SPECT). Current T2 weighted sequences for edema imaging in CMR are limited by low contrast to noise ratios and motion artifacts. ⋯ AAR assessed by SPECT measured 41.6 ± 20.7 %LV. Correlation analysis revealed best correlation with SPECT for T2-MAP at a T2-threshold of 60 ms (ms) (slope = 0.99, Pearson's r = 0.94), and for MOLLI at T1-threshold of 1,075 ms (slope 0.86, r = 0.91, Pearson's r = 0.45). For the assessment of AAR in AMI, the novel T2-mapping technique correlates best with SPECT size, T1-mapping with MOLLI and standard T2-weighted imaging showed similar good correlations.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2014
Evaluation of right ventricle functions and serotonin levels during headache attacks in migraine patients with aura.
Several studies suggested that headache attacks and its frequency were mainly responsible for increased cardiovascular (CV) disease and mortality in patients with migraine with aura (MWA). Elevated serotonin level has been found to play a role in migraine attacks. Serotonin was best studied within the CV system for its role in the development of pulmonary hypertension, which had negative impact on right ventricular (RV) functions. ⋯ Thirty-one patients (58.4 %) had low-frequency attack. Patients with high-frequency attacks had increased serotonin levels (p 0.040) and decreased RV-free-ST, RV-free-STR-S, RV-free-STR-E and RV-free-STR-E/A ratio values during HAP when compared to low-frequency group (p 0.026, p 0.029, p 0.037 and p 0.019 respectively). This study demonstrated that migraine attacks, especially at higher frequencies, could have negative impact on RV systolic functions in MWA patients.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2014
Assessment of right ventricular geometry and mechanics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients living at high altitude.
Degree of increase in pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and adaptive responses in right ventricular morphology and mechanics play an important role in the prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Three dimensional echocardiography and deformation imaging are recent advancements in echocardiography that allow more through assessment of right ventricle. We aimed to investigate right ventricular geometry and mechanics in a stable COPD population living at moderately high altitude. ⋯ Only mean PAP and body surface area were found as independent predictors for 6MWT distance. Increased PAP and reduced right ventricular contractility were found in COPD patients living at moderately high altitude, although right ventricular volumes were normal. Similar findings can be expected in other COPD patients with high PAP, since these findings probably represents the effect of increased PAP on right ventricular mechanics.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2014
Case ReportsSuccessful aortic root replacement and shunt closure in a case with rare coexistence of congenital cardiac malformations: bicuspid aortic valve with annuloaortic ectasia, single coronary artery, and patent foramen ovale.
This is the first report of rare simultaneous complication of three cardiac malformations: bicuspid aortic valve with annuloaortic ectasia, single coronary artery, and patent foramen ovale. We successfully operated to replace the aortic valve and ascending aorta, and to close the patent foramen ovale.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Aug 2014
Atrial longitudinal strain parameters predict left atrial reverse remodeling after mitral valve surgery: a speckle tracking echocardiography study.
Volume overload in chronic severe mitral regurgitation (MR) causes left atrial (LA) remodeling. Volume overload generally diminishes after mitral valve surgery and LA size and shape are expected to recover. The recovery of LA functions named as reverse remodeling is said to be related with prognosis and mortality. ⋯ Furthermore, in multivariate linear regression analysis (entering models), preoperative LAVI, age and PALS were all significant predictors of LA reverse remodeling (p ≤ 0.001, p = 0.04, p = 0.001 respectively). Left atrial peak longitudinal strain measured by 2D STE, in conjunction with preoperative LAVI and age is a predictor of LA reverse remodeling in patients undergoing surgery for severe MR. We suggest that in this patient population, PALS may also be used as a preoperative prognostic marker.