JACC. Cardiovascular imaging
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JACC Cardiovasc Imaging · Sep 2012
Acute left ventricular remodeling following myocardial infarction: coupling of regional healing with remote extracellular matrix expansion.
This prospective study aimed to assess regional and temporal patterns of extracellular matrix (ECM) changes post-myocardial infarction (MI). ⋯ Within a week of acute MI, the remote myocardium exhibits systolic dysfunction and expansion of the ECM, which is coupled with physiological infarct healing. Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify these important findings.
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JACC Cardiovasc Imaging · Jul 2012
Comparative StudyDirect measurement of multiple vena contracta areas for assessing the severity of mitral regurgitation using 3D TEE.
The aim of this study was to determine whether direct measurement of multiple-jet vena contracta (VC) areas by real-time 3-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography is an accurate method for measuring the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with multiple MR jets. ⋯ Direct measurement of multiple VC areas using 3D transesophageal echocardiography allows for assessing MR severity in patients with multiple jets, particularly for MR degrees greater than mild and in cases of more than 2 jets, for which geometric assumptions may be challenging.
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JACC Cardiovasc Imaging · Jul 2012
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyCarotid plaque burden as a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis: comparison with other tests for subclinical arterial disease in the High Risk Plaque BioImage study.
The purpose of this study was to compare carotid plaque burden, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and abdominal aortic diameter (AAD) to coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in people without known cardiovascular disease. ⋯ In the BioImage study, a new 3-dimensional-based ultrasound method identified more carotid plaques than in previous studies. Compared to other methods, carotid plaque burden was the strongest cross-sectional predictor of CACS, and its clinical utility as predictor of future cardiovascular events is being evaluated in the BioImage study. (BioImage Study: A Clinical Study of Burden of Atherosclerotic Disease in an At-Risk Population; NCT00738725).
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JACC Cardiovasc Imaging · Jul 2012
Multicenter StudyGeometric assessment of asymmetric septal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by CMR.
The aim of this study was to analyze the geometric pattern of hypertrophy (HT) in patients with asymmetrical septal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and to test the hypothesis that at least in some patients, the HT follows a longitudinal spiral pattern. ⋯ Using 3D analysis, we found that the majority of patients with asymmetrical septal HCM in fact showed a spiral pattern of HT following a counterclockwise (or "left-handed") spiral trajectory. The variation in magnitude of rotation among patients, however, was highly variable. Further research is warranted to better understand the significance of the current findings, in particular to relate them to the genetic and morphological substrate, hemodynamic consequences, and patient outcome.