Right Ventricular Function at Cardiac MRI Predicts Cardiovascular Events in Patients with an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator.

Background Right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) is an independent predictor of death and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with various cardiac conditions. Purpose To investigate whether RVEF, measured with cardiac MRI, is a predictor of appropriate shock or death in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) recipients for primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Materials and Methods This retrospective, multicenter, observational study included patients who underwent cardiac MRI before ICD implantation between January 2007 and May 2017. Right ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and RVEF were measured with cardiac MRI. The primary end point was a composite of all-cause mortality or appropriate ICD shock. The secondary end point was all-cause mortality. The association between RVEF and primary and secondary outcomes was evaluated by using multivariable Cox regression analysis. Potential interactions were tested between primary prevention, ischemic cause, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and RVEF. Results Among 411 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 60 years; 315 men) during a median follow-up of 63 months, 143 (35%) patients experienced an appropriate ICD shock or died. In univariable analysis, lower RVEF was associated with greater risks for appropriate ICD shock or death and for death alone (log-rank trend test, P = .003 and .005 respectively). In multivariable Cox regression analysis adjusting for age at ICD implantation, LVEF, ICD indication (primary vs secondary), ischemic heart disease, and late gadolinium enhancement, RVEF was an independent predictor of the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21 per 10% lower RVEF; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.41; P = .01) and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.25 per 10% lower RVEF; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.55; P = .04). No evidence of significant interactions was found between RVEF and primary or secondary prevention (P = .49), ischemic heart disease (P = .78), and LVEF (P = .29). Conclusion Right ventricular ejection fraction measured with cardiac MRI was a predictor of appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shock or death. © RSNA, 2021 See also the editorial by Nazarian and Zghaib in this issue. An earlier incorrect version of this article appeared online. This article was corrected on August 24, 2021.

Mediastinal Hemangioma Masquerading as a Simple Cyst.

ABSTRACT: This report presents imaging from a mediastinal mass in a patient with colon cancer. At baseline and surveillance chest computed tomography examinations, it was characterized as a pericardial cyst. However, during chemotherapy, complications arose and this mass was further characterized with a chest MRI. It was then decided to be removed, and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of a hemangioma.

CT patterns and serial CT Changes in lung Cancer patients post stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

BACKGROUND: To evaluate computed tomography (CT) patterns of post-SBRT lung injury in lung cancer and identify time points of serial CT changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty-three tumors in 170 patients were evaluated on sequential CTs within 29 months (median). Frequencies of post-SBRT CT patterns and time points of initiation and duration were assessed. Duration of increase of primary lesion or surrounding injury without evidence of local recurrence and time to stabilization or local recurrence were evaluated. RESULTS: Post-SBRT CT patterns could overlap in the same patient and were nodule-like pattern (69%), consolidation with ground glass opacity (GGO) (41%), modified conventional pattern (39%), peribronchial/patchy consolidation (42%), patchy GGO (24%), diffuse consolidation (16%), "orbit sign" (21%), mass-like pattern (19%), scar-like pattern (15%) and diffuse GGO (3%). Patchy GGO started at 4 months post-SBRT. Peribronchial/patchy consolidation and consolidation with GGO started at 4 and 5 months respectively. Diffuse consolidation, diffuse GGO and orbit sign started at 5, 6 and 8 months respectively. Mass-like, modified conventional and scar-like pattern started at 8, 12 and 12 months respectively. Primary lesion (n = 11) or surrounding injury (n = 85) increased up to 13 months. Primary lesion (n = 119) or surrounding injury (n = 115) started to decrease at 4 and 9 months respectively. Time to stabilization was 20 months. The most common CT pattern at stabilization was modified conventional pattern (49%), scar-like pattern (23%) and mass-like pattern (12%). Local recurrence (n = 15) occurred at a median time of 18 months. CONCLUSION: Different CT patterns of lung injury post-SBRT appear in predictable time points and have variable but predictable duration. Familiarity with these patterns and timeframes of appearance helps differentiate them from local recurrence.

Resolution of pulmonary edema with variable mechanical ventilation in a porcine model of acute lung injury.

OBJECTIVE: Resolution of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requires clearance of pulmonary edema. Biologically variable ventilation (BVV) strategies that improve gas exchange, lung mechanics, and inflammatory mediators in ARDS may be beneficial in this regard. We used quantitative computed tomography (CT), a single indicator thermodilution system (PiCCO®) to determine extravascular lung water (EVLW), and the change in edema protein concentration over time to compare edema clearance with BVV vs conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) in a porcine ARDS model. METHODS: Sixteen pigs with oleic acid lung injury were randomized to four hours of ventilation with either CMV (n = 8) or BVV (n = 8) at identical low tidal volume and minute ventilation over time. Hemodynamic variables, gas exchange, lung mechanics, and PiCCO derived EVLW were determined hourly. Computed tomography images and edema fluid samples were obtained at baseline lung injury and after four hours of ventilation. Wet and dry lung weights were determined postmortem. RESULTS: At four hours with BVV, peak airway pressure was decreased significantly and lung compliance improved compared with CMV (P = 0.003; P < 0.001, respectively). Hemodynamic variables and gas exchange were not different between groups. Also at four hours, computed tomography revealed an increase in total gas volume (P = 0.001) and a decrease in total lung weight and global lung density (P = 0.005; P = 0.04 respectively) with BVV. These findings were associated with a significant increase in the gas volume of normally aerated lung regions (P < 0.001) and a decrease in the poorly and non-aerated lung regions (P = 0.001). No change in any CT parameter occurred with CMV. The lung weights derived from computed tomography correlated well with postmortem wet weights (R(2) = 0.79; P < 0.01). The decrease in PiCCO derived EVLW from injury to four hours did not differ significantly between BVV and CMV. Extravascular lung water showed no correlation with postmortem wet weights and significantly underestimated lung water. Average alveolar fluid clearance rates were positive (1.4%·hr(-1) (3%)) with BVV and negative with CMV (-2.0%·hr(-1) (4%)). CONCLUSIONS: In a comparison between BVV and CMV, computed tomography evidence suggests that BVV facilitates enhanced clearance and/or redistribution of edema fluid with improved recruitment of atelectatic and poorly aerated lung regions; no such evidence was seen with either single thermodilution measurement of EVLW or edema clearance rates. The results of computed tomography provide further evidence of the benefit of BVV over conventional ventilation in ARDS.

Pathological entities that may affect the lungs and the myocardium. Evaluation with chest CT and cardiac MR.

Certain entities may simultaneously involve the lungs and the myocardium. Knowing their cardiac and thoracic manifestations enhances the understanding of those conditions and increases awareness and suspicion for possible concurrent cardiothoracic involvement. Entities that can present with pulmonary and myocardial involvement include infiltrative diseases like sarcoidosis and amyloidosis, eosinophil-associated conditions including eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), connective tissue diseases such as systemic sclerosis (SSc) and lupus erythematosus and genetic disorders like Fabry disease (FD). Lung involvement in sarcoidosis is almost universal. While cardiac involvement is less common, concurrent cardiothoracic involvement can often be seen. Pulmonary amyloidosis is more often a localized process and generally occurs separately from cardiac involvement, except for diffuse alveolar-septal amyloidosis. EGPA and HES can present with consolidative or ground glass opacities, cardiac inflammation and endomyocardial fibrosis. Manifestations of SSc include interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension and cardiomyopathy. Lupus can present with serositis, pneumonitis and cardiac inflammation. FD causes left ventricular thickening and fibrosis, and small airways disease. This article aims to review the clinicopathological features of chest and cardiac involvement of these entities and describe their main findings on chest CT and cardiac MR.

Conserved and specific functions of mammalian ssu72.

We describe the cloning and characterization of a human homolog of the yeast transcription/RNA-processing factor Ssu72, following a yeast two-hybrid screen for pRb-binding factors in the prostate gland. Interaction between hSsu72 and pRb was observed in transfected mammalian cells and involved multiple domains in pRb; however, so far, mutual effects of these two factors could not be demonstrated. Like the yeast counterpart, mammalian Ssu72 associates with TFIIB and the yeast cleavage/polyadenylation factor Pta1, and exhibits intrinsic phosphatase activity. Mammals contain a single ssu72 gene and a few pseudogenes. During mouse embryogenesis, ssu72 was highly expressed in the nervous system and intestine; high expression in the nervous system persisted in adult mice and was also readily observed in multiple human tumor cell lines. Both endogenous and ectopically expressed mammalian Ssu72 proteins resided primarily in the cytoplasm and only partly in the nucleus. Interestingly, fusion to a strong nuclear localization signal conferred nuclear localization only in a fraction of transfected cells, suggesting active tethering in the cytoplasm. Suppression of ssu72 expression in mammalian cells by siRNA did not reduce proliferation/survival, and its over-expression did not affect transcription of candidate genes in transient reporter assays. Despite high conservation, hssu72 was unable to rescue an ssu72 lethal mutation in yeast. Together, our results highlight conserved and mammalian specific characteristics of mammalian ssu72.

Safety and Efficacy of Modified Preoperative Lung Nodule Microcoil Localization Without Pleural Marking: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous microcoil lung nodule localization without pleural marking compared with the established technique with pleural marking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-three consecutive patients (66.7% female, mean age 61.6±11.4 y) with 64 lung nodules resected between October 2008 and January 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. Of the nodules, 29.7% (n=19) had microcoil deployment with pleural marking (control group) and 70.3% (n=45) had microcoil deployment without pleural marking (pilot group). Clinical, pathologic, and imaging characteristics, radiation dose, CT procedure and operating room time, and complete resection and complication rates were compared between the pilot and control groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in nodule size (P=0.552) or distance from the pleural surface (P=0.222) between the pilot and control groups. However, mean procedure duration (53.6±18.3 vs. 72.8±25.3 min, P=0.001) and total effective radiation dose (5.1±2.6 vs. 7.1±4.9 mSv, P=0.039) were significantly lower in the pilot group compared with the control group. CT procedure-related complications (P=0.483) [including pneumothoraces (P=0.769) and pulmonary hemorrhage (P=1.000)], operating room time (P=0.926), complete resection rates (P=0.520), intraoperative complications (P=0.549), and postoperative complications (P=1.000) were similar between the pilot and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative CT-guided lung nodule microcoil localization performed without visceral pleural marking appears to decrease the CT procedure time and radiation dose while maintaining equivalent complete resection rates and procedural and surgical complications, when compared with microcoil localization performed with pleural marking.

CT-guided microcoil VATS resection of lung nodules: a single-centre experience and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is standard of care for small lung resections at many centres. Computed tomography (CT)-guided insertion of microcoils can aid surgeons in performing VATS resections for non-palpable lung nodules deep to the lung surface. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of CT-guided microcoil insertions prior to VATS lung resection at a single institution from October 2008 to January 2014. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients were included (37% male, mean age 61.6±11.4 years). Forty-two patients (67%) had a history of smoking, with 10 current smokers. Sixty one (97%) patients underwent wedge resection and 3 (5%) patients had segmentectomy. Three (5%) patients required intra-operative staple line re-resection for positive or close margins. Eleven (17%) patients had a completion lobectomy, 5 of which were during the same anaesthetic. The average time between the CT-guided insertion and start of operation was 136.6±89.0 min, and average operative time was 84.0±53.3 min. The intra-operative complication rate was 5% (n=3), including 1 episode of hemoptysis, and 2 conversions to thoracotomy. The post-operative complication rate was 8% (5 patients), and included 2 air leaks, 1 hemothorax (drop in hemoglobin), 1 post chest tube removal pneumothorax, and one venous infarction of the lingula after lingula-sparing lobectomy requiring completion lobectomy. . Average post-operative length of stay was 2.2 days. A diagnosis was made for all patients. CONCLUSIONS: CT-guided microcoil insertion followed by VATS lobectomy is safe, with short operative times, short length of stay and 100% diagnosis of small pulmonary nodules. This technique will become more important in the future with increasing numbers of small nodules detected on CT as part of lung cancer screening programs.

Multimodality cardiac imaging of a double chambered right ventricle with intrapulmonary shunting: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Double chambered right ventricle (DCRV) is a relatively rare congenital heart disease, characterized by the abnormal division of the right ventricle into a high-pressure inlet and low-pressure outlet by anomalous muscle bundles. Extra-cardiac right-to-left shunts may present with clinical symptoms in adulthood and should be sought in patients with previous cavo-pulmonary shunt procedures. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of DCRV in a 29 year old Caucasian male presenting in adulthood with a right-to-left shunt secondary to venous collaterals, following cavopulmonary anastomosis for congenital pulmonary atresia and hypoplastic right ventricle. CONCLUSION: Multimodality cardiac imaging using echocardiography, cardiac CT, cardiac MRI and cardiac catheterization is often required for complete characterization of complex congenital heart anomalies in adulthood.