Quantitative planar and volumetric cardiac measurements using 64 mdct and 3t mri vs. Standard 2d and m-mode echocardiography: does anesthetic protocol matter?

Cross‐sectional imaging of the heart utilizing computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to be superior for the evaluation of cardiac morphology and systolic function in humans compared to echocardiography. The purpose of this prospective study was to test the effects of two different anesthetic protocols on cardiac measurements in 10 healthy beagle dogs using 64‐multidetector row computed tomographic angiography (64‐MDCTA), 3T magnetic resonance (MRI) and standard awake echocardiography. Both anesthetic protocols used propofol for induction and isoflourane for anesthetic maintenance. In addition, protocol A used midazolam/fentanyl and protocol B used dexmedetomedine as premedication and constant rate infusion during the procedure. Significant elevations in systolic and mean blood pressure were present when using protocol B. There was overall good agreement between the variables of cardiac size and systolic function generated from the MDCTA and MRI exams and no significant difference was found when comparing the variables acquired using either anesthetic protocol within each modality. Systolic function variables generated using 64‐MDCTA and 3T MRI were only able to predict the left ventricular end diastolic volume as measured during awake echocardiogram when using protocol B and 64‐MDCTA. For all other systolic function variables, prediction of awake echocardiographic results was not possible (P = 1). Planar variables acquired using MDCTA or MRI did not allow prediction of the corresponding measurements generated using echocardiography in the awake patients (P = 1). Future studies are needed to validate this approach in a more varied population and clinically affected dogs

Speckle-tracking echocardiography combined with imaging mass spectrometry assesses region-dependent alterations

Left ventricular (LV) contraction is characterized by shortening and thickening of longitudinal and circumferential fibres. To date, it is poorly understood how LV deformation is altered in the pathogenesis of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus-associated diabetic cardiomyopathy and how this is associated with changes in cardiac structural composition. To gain further insights in these LV alterations, eight-week-old C57BL6/j mice were intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg body weight STZ during 5 consecutive days. Six, 9, and 12 weeks (w) post injections, echocardiographic analysis was performed using a Vevo 3100 device coupled to a 30-MHz linear-frequency transducer. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) demonstrated impaired global longitudinal peak strain (GLS) in STZ versus control mice at all time points. 9w STZ animals displayed an impaired global circumferential peak strain (GCS) versus 6w and 12w STZ mice. They further exhibited decreased myocardial deformation behaviour of the anterior and posterior base versus controls, which was paralleled with an elevated collagen I/III protein ratio. Additionally, hypothesis-free proteome analysis by imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) identified regional- and time-dependent changes of proteins affecting sarcomere mechanics between STZ and control mice. In conclusion, STZ-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy changes global cardiac deformation associated with alterations in cardiac sarcomere proteins

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes, supplement 218, April 1981

This bibliography lists 161 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in March 1981

Non-invasive Ischaemia Testing in Patients With Prior Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: Technical Challenges, Limitations, and Future Directions

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery effectively relieves symptoms and improves outcomes. However, patients undergoing CABG surgery typically have advanced coronary atherosclerotic disease and remain at high risk for symptom recurrence and adverse events. Functional non-invasive testing for ischaemia is commonly used as a gatekeeper for invasive coronary and graft angiography, and for guiding subsequent revascularisation decisions. However, performing and interpreting non-invasive ischaemia testing in patients post CABG is challenging, irrespective of the imaging modality used. Multiple factors including advanced multi-vessel native vessel disease, variability in coronary hemodynamics post-surgery, differences in graft lengths and vasomotor properties, and complex myocardial scar morphology are only some of the pathophysiological mechanisms that complicate ischaemia evaluation in this patient population. Systematic assessment of the impact of these challenges in relation to each imaging modality may help optimize diagnostic test selection by incorporating clinical information and individual patient characteristics. At the same time, recent technological advances in cardiac imaging including improvements in image quality, wider availability of quantitative techniques for measuring myocardial blood flow and the introduction of artificial intelligence-based approaches for image analysis offer the opportunity to re-evaluate the value of ischaemia testing, providing new insights into the pathophysiological processes that determine outcomes in this patient population

Echocardiography

The book "Echocardiography - New Techniques" brings worldwide contributions from highly acclaimed clinical and imaging science investigators, and representatives from academic medical centers. Each chapter is designed and written to be accessible to those with a basic knowledge of echocardiography. Additionally, the chapters are meant to be stimulating and educational to the experts and investigators in the field of echocardiography. This book is aimed primarily at cardiology fellows on their basic echocardiography rotation, fellows in general internal medicine, radiology and emergency medicine, and experts in the arena of echocardiography. Over the last few decades, the rate of technological advancements has developed dramatically, resulting in new techniques and improved echocardiographic imaging. The authors of this book focused on presenting the most advanced techniques useful in today's research and in daily clinical practice. These advanced techniques are utilized in the detection of different cardiac pathologies in patients, in contributing to their clinical decision, as well as follow-up and outcome predictions. In addition to the advanced techniques covered, this book expounds upon several special pathologies with respect to the functions of echocardiography

ASNC/AHA/ASE/EANM/HFSA/ISA/SCMR/SNMMI Expert Consensus Recommendations for Multimodality Imaging in Cardiac Amyloidosis: Part 1 of 2—Evidence Base and Standardized Methods of Imaging

Cardiac amyloidosis is a form of restrictive infiltrative cardiomyopathy that confers significant mortality. Because of the relative rarity of cardiac amyloidosis, clinical and diagnostic expertise in the recognition and evaluation of individuals with suspected amyloidosis is mostly limited to a few expert centers. Electrocardiography, echocardiography, and radionuclide imaging have been used for the evaluation of cardiac amyloidosis for over 40 years.1, 2, 3 Although cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has also been in clinical practice for several decades, it was not applied to cardiac amyloidosis until the late 1990s. Despite an abundance of diagnostic imaging options, cardiac amyloidosis remains largely underrecognized or delayed in diagnosis.4 Although advanced imaging options for noninvasive evaluation have substantially expanded, the evidence is predominately confined to single-center small studies or limited multicenter larger experiences, and there continues to be no clear consensus on standardized imaging pathways in cardiac amyloidosis. This lack of guidance is particularly problematic given that there are numerous emerging therapeutic options for this morbid disease, increasing the importance of accurate recognition at earlier stages. Imaging provides noninvasive tools for follow-up of disease remission/progression complementing clinical evaluation. Additional areas not defined include appropriate clinical indications for imaging, optimal imaging utilization by clinical presentation, accepted imaging methods, accurate image interpretation, and comprehensive and clear reporting. Prospective randomized clinical trial data for the diagnosis of amyloidosis and for imaging-based strategies for treatment are not available. A consensus of expert opinion is greatly needed to guide the appropriate clinical utilization of imaging in cardiac amyloidosis