The Year in Cardiology 2013: imaging in ischaemic heart disease

This article focuses on some of the most important studies published in the year 2013 in cardiac imaging related to ischemic heart disease. Many of the studies across the various imaging techniques addressed the prognostic impact of imaging data on outcome in patients with this diseas

Differentiation of Acute Myocardial Infarction from Chronic Myocardial Scar with MRI

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Peer Review: The Importance Of Education For Best Practice

The effectiveness of teaching is expected by an increasingly skeptical public that wants those in higher education to contain costs, increase access, and teach in ways that make sure students learn. An integral and under-used component of documenting teaching effectiveness is peer review. A framework for best practice to ensure a systematic and comprehensive approach to any peer review has been developed and a foundational aspect of this framework is education about the process and its implementation. In the current pilot study, administrators and non-administrators involved in university teaching were surveyed about their knowledge of, and experiences with, peer review. A striking finding was the notable degree of uncertainty about many components of the process on the part of non-administrators. Results verify the critical importance of education prior to and following any peer review, particularly for instructors in non-administrative positions

Molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of inflamed myocardium using ferucarbotran in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Introduction: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPIO)-based molecular imaging agents targeting macrophages have been developed and successfully applied in animal models of myocardial infarction

Optimal Prognostication of Patients with Coronary Stenoses in the Pre- and Post-PCI setting: Comments on TARGET FFR and DEFINE-FLOW Trials Presented at TCT Connect 2020

The body of evidence for the use of coronary physiology assessments to guide percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been growing continuously in recent decades. Two studies presented during TCT Connect 2020 added insights into the prognostic value of coronary physiology measurements in pre- and post-PCI settings. The first study, TARGET FFR, assessed whether a post-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided incremental optimisation strategy (PIOS) was superior to angiography-guided PCI. The second study, DEFINE-FLOW, assessed the course of stenoses with fractional and coronary flow reserve (FFR+/CFR−) discordance when treated medically. This article summarises the main results from the TARGET FFR and the DEFINE-FLOW trials and puts them into the context of the existing literature

2015 Update on Acute Adverse Reactions to Gadolinium based Contrast Agents in Cardiovascular MR. Large Multi-National and Multi-Ethnical Population Experience With 37788 Patients From the EuroCMR Registry

Objectives: Specifically we aim to demonstrate that the results of our earlier safety data hold true in this much larger multi-national and multi-ethnical population. Background: We sought to re-evaluate the frequency, manifestations, and severity of acute adverse reactions associated with administration of several gadolinium- based contrast agents during routine CMR on a European level. Methods: Multi-centre, multi-national, and multi-ethnical registry with consecutive enrolment of patients in 57 European centres. Results: During the current observation 37788 doses of Gadolinium based contrast agent were administered to 37788 patients. The mean dose was 24.7 ml (range 5–80 ml), which is equivalent to 0.123 mmol/kg (range 0.01 - 0.3 mmol/kg). Forty-five acute adverse reactions due to contrast administration occurred (0.12 %). Most reactions were classified as mild (43 of 45) according to the American College of Radiology definition. The most frequent complaints following contrast administration were rashes and hives (15 of 45), followed by nausea (10 of 45) and flushes (10 of 45). The event rate ranged from 0.05 % (linear non-ionic agent gadodiamide) to 0.42 % (linear ionic agent gadobenate dimeglumine). Interestingly, we also found different event rates between the three main indications for CMR ranging from 0.05 % (risk stratification in suspected CAD) to 0.22 % (viability in known CAD). Conclusions: The current data indicate that the results of the earlier safety data hold true in this much larger multi-national and multi-ethnical population. Thus, the “off-label” use of Gadolinium based contrast in cardiovascular MR should be regarded as safe concerning the frequency, manifestation and severity of acute events