The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Jan 2016
Atrial fibrillation is associated with hematopoietic tissue activation and arterial inflammation.
Inflammation is associated with the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Activity in hematopoietic tissues, which produce inflammatory leukocytes, is closely related to systemic inflammation, arterial inflammation and cardiovascular events, but its relationship to AF is unknown. Using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, we examined the relationships between AF, splenic metabolic activity and vascular inflammation. ⋯ Aortic inflammation and splenic activity were highly correlated (Pearson R = 0.61, p < 0.001). Atrial fibrillation is associated with higher hematopoietic tissue activation and arterial inflammation. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms by which this cardio-splenic axis is implicated in AF.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2015
Comparative StudyComparison of the reliability of E/E' to estimate pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction versus those with reduced ejection fraction.
Accurate assessment of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) is essential for physicians to effectively manage patients with acute decompensated heart failure. The ratio of early transmittal velocity to tissue Doppler mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E/E') is used to estimate PCWP noninvasively in a wide range of cardiac patients. However, it remains contentious as to whether mitral E/E' is a reliable predictor of PCWP. ⋯ However, no significant relationship was observed between PCWP and mitral E/E' (P = 0.85) in the heart failure with reduced ejection fraction group. There were no significant correlations between any of the conventional parameters considered (LVEF, left atrial dimension, E/A, IVRT, and DT) with PCWP in either group. In conclusion, mitral E/E' is useful for estimating PCWP in patients with acute heart failure with preserved ejection fraction but may not in those with reduced ejection fraction.
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2015
Comparative StudyComparison of right ventricular contractile abnormalities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy versus hypertensive heart disease using two dimensional strain imaging: a cross-sectional study.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) affects the right ventricle (RV) because of the anatomically hypertrophied septum and plausibly by extension of the myopathic process to the RV. We sought to investigate RV strain in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy secondary to either HCM or hypertension (H-LVH). Our cross-sectional study included 32 patients with HCM, 21 patients with H-LVH, and 11 healthy subjects, who were evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography. ⋯ Regional and global RV strain parameters were not significantly impaired in H-LVH compared to healthy controls An RV GLS cut-off value of >14.9% differentiated HCM and H-LVH with a 90% sensitivity and a 95% specificity (p < 0.001). RV strain parameters are impaired in patients with HCM. Assessment of two-dimensional RV strain parameters could help differentiate between HCM and H-LVH.
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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 StudyTransthoracic two-dimensional xPlane and three-dimensional echocardiographic analysis of the site of mitral valve prolapse.
This study sought to assess the value of two-dimensional (2D) transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), 2D xPlane imaging and three-dimensional (3D) TTE for the definition of the site and the extent of mitral valve (MV) prolapse. Fifty patients underwent transthoracic 2D, 2D xPlane and 3D echocardiography. With 2D xPlane a segmental analysis of the MV was performed, by making a lateral sweep across the MV coaptation line as seen in the parasternal short-axis view. ⋯ In total, 5 (8%) prolapsing MV scallops were missed by 2D TTE, 7 (12%) by 2D xPlane, and 12 (20%) by 3D TTE. The sensitivity of 3D TTE was significantly lower than standard 2D imaging (80% versus 93%, P < 0.05). The extent of P2 prolapse was under or overestimated in 5 patients with 2D xPlane and in 9 patients with 3D TTE. 2D xPlane imaging is an accurate, easy to use (compared to 3D TTE) and easy to interpret (compared to 2D and 3D TTE) imaging modality to study the site and the extent of MV prolapse.