Strain-encoded magnetic resonance: a method for the assessment of myocardial deformation.

This study aims to assess the usefulness of strain-encoded magnetic resonance (SENC) for the quantification of myocardial deformation ('strain') in healthy volunteers and for the diagnostic workup of patients with different cardiovascular pathologies. SENC was initially described in the year 2001. Since then, the SENC sequence has undergone several technical developments, aiming at the detection of strain during single-heartbeat acquisitions (fast-SENC). Experimental and clinical studies that used SENC and fast-SENC or compared SENC with conventional cine or tagged magnetic resonance in phantoms, animals, healthy volunteers, or patients were systematically searched for in PubMed. Using 'strain-encoded magnetic resonance and SENC' as keywords, three phantom and three animal studies were identified, along with 27 further clinical studies, involving 185 healthy subjects and 904 patients. SENC (i) enabled reproducible assessment of myocardial deformation in vitro, in animals and in healthy volunteers, (ii) showed high reproducibility and substantially lower time spent compared with conventional tagging, (iii) exhibited incremental value to standard cine imaging for the detection of inducible ischaemia and for the risk stratification of patients with ischaemic heart disease, and (iv) enabled the diagnostic classification of patients with transplant vasculopathy, cardiomyopathies, pulmonary hypertension, and diabetic heart disease. SENC has the potential to detect a wide range of myocardial diseases early, accurately, and without the need of contrast agent injection, possibly enabling the initiation of specific cardiac therapies during earlier disease stages. Its one-heartbeat acquisition mode during free breathing results in shorter cardiovascular magnetic resonance protocols, making its implementation in the clinical realm promising.

Quantitative myocardial blush grade reserve during pharmacologic hyperaemia: a way to perform a real wireless fractional flow reserve measurement in patients with coronary artery disease and intermediate coronary lesions.

AIMS: We investigated the relation between myocardial blush grade reserve (MBGreserve) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) measures. FFR is a marker of inducible myocardial ischaemia, which could guide percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and stent placement. However, it requires a pressure wire and is associated with additional costs and potential hazards. The aim of our study was to investigate the ability of MBG for the evaluation of functional significance in intermediate coronary lesions during pharmacologic hyperaemia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-six patients who underwent routine cardiac catheterisation for known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and clinically indicated FFR measures in at least one coronary vessel were analysed. MBGreserve was assessed at baseline and during pharmacologic hyperaemia. Video densitometric parameters were then calculated by the ratio of maximal density (Gmax) and the time to reach maximum density (Tmax). Gmax/Tmax during hyperaemia divided by Gmax/Tmax at baseline provided the MBGreserve. A significant association was observed between MBGreserve and FFR. A cut-off value of MBGreserve=2.1 demonstrated sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 96% for the prediction of abnormal FFR of ≤0.8. MBGreserve increased in coronary territories that underwent PCI, reaching similarly high values compared to those observed in FFR-negative lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative MBGreserve is closely related to FFR measures and may obviate the need for pressure wire measurements in the interests of patient safety, time and costs.

Image quality and contrast agent exposure in cardiac computed tomography angiography prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures using different acquisition protocols.

BACKGROUND: ECG-gated cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has found widespread use for prosthesis sizing before transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, still little data exists on the optimal scan-strategy in such patients. We hypothesized that prospectively triggered CCTA can enable the visualization of aortic valve structures and peripheral arteries with lower radiation and contrast agent exposure in patients considered for TAVI compared to retrospectively gated protocols. METHODS: All studies were performed using a 256 multi-detector single source CT (iCT Philips, Best, Netherlands). With the prospective protocol the whole volume from the heart to the iliofemoral arteries scanned using prospective triggering. With the retrospective protocol a first retrospectively gated scan was performed for the heart and the iliofemoral part was subsequently scanned using a second non-triggered scan. Image quality was assessed semi-quantitatively and signal-to-noise- (SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNR) were obtained for all scans. RESULTS: Prospective CCTA was performed in 74 and in 34 patients, respectively using non-tailored and BMI adapted scans, whereas retrospective CCTA was performed in 57 patients. Prospective scans required lower contrast agent administration compared to retrospective scans (71 ± 8 mL versus 91 ± 15 mL, p < 0.01) and resulted in lower radiation exposure (26 ± 7mSv for retrospective versus 15 ± 3mSv for non-tailored prospective versus 8 ± 4mSv for BMI-adapted prospective scans, p < 0.01). Visual image quality was better for the evaluation of aortic valve structures and similar for the assessment of iliofemoral anatomy with prospective versus retrospective scans. In addition, contrast density, SNR and CNR were higher in the ascending aorta with prospective versus retrospective CCTA (434 ± 98HU versus 349 ± 112HU; 35 ± 14 versus 24 ± 9 and 31 ± 11 versus 16 ± 7, p < 0.001 for all). Subsection analysis by heart rate groups demonstrated that both image quality and CNR were significantly higher in patients with prospective versus retrospective CCTA, irrespective of the heart rate during image acquisition. CONCLUSION: Prospectively triggered CCTA allows for improved visualization of aortic valve structures and peripheral arteries in patients scheduled for TAVI with simultaneously reduced contrast agent dose and radiation exposure. Therefore, this acquisition mode seems to be the preferred for the evaluation of patients considered for TAVI.

Severe Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Small Pericardial Effusion, and Diffuse Late Gadolinium Enhancement by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Suspecting Cardiac Amyloidosis: Endomyocardial Biopsy Reveals an Unexpected Diagnosis.

Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy can be related to a multitude of cardiac disorders, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), cardiac amyloidosis, and hypertensive heart disease. Although the presence of LV hypertrophy is generally associated with poorer cardiac outcomes, the early differentiation between these pathologies is crucial due to the presence of specific treatment options. The diagnostic process with LV hypertrophy requires the integration of clinical evaluation, electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, biochemical markers, and if required CMR and endomyocardial biopsy in order to reach the correct diagnosis. Here, we present a case of a patient with severe LV hypertrophy (septal wall thickness of 23 mm, LV mass of 264 g, and LV mass index of 147 g/m(2)), severely impaired longitudinal function, and preserved radial contractility (ejection fraction = 55%), accompanied by small pericardial effusion and diffuse late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Due to the imaging findings, an infiltrative cardiomyopathy, such as cardiac amyloidosis, was suspected. However, amyloid accumulation was excluded by endomyocardial biopsy, which revealed the presence of diffuse myocardial fibrosis in an advanced hypertensive heart disease.

Myocardial Perfusion Reserve and Strain-Encoded CMR for Evaluation of Cardiac Allograft Microvasculopathy.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate myocardial perfusion reserve index (MPRI) and diastolic strain rate, both assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) as a noninvasive tool for the detection of microvasculopathy. BACKGROUND: Long-term survival of cardiac allograft recipients is limited primarily by cancer and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Besides epicardial CAV, diagnosed by coronary angiography, stenotic microvasculopathy was found to be an additional independent risk factor for survival after heart transplantation. METHODS: Sixty-three consecutive heart transplant recipients who underwent CMR, coronary angiography, and myocardial biopsy were enrolled. Stenotic vasculopathy in microvessels was considered in myocardial biopsies by immunohistochemistry and CAV was graded during coronary angiography according to International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation criteria. In addition, by CMR microvasculopathy was assessed by myocardial perfusion reserve during pharmacologic hyperemia with adenosine and strain-encoded magnetic resonance using a modified spatial modulation of magnetization tagging pulse sequence in all patients. RESULTS: Decreasing MPRI and diastolic strain rates were observed in patients with decreasing microvessel luminal radius to wall thickness ratio and decreasing capillary density (r = 0.45 and r = 0.61 for MPRI and r = 0.50 and r = 0.38 for diastolic strain rate, respectively; p < 0.005 for all). Using multivariable analysis, both MPRI and diastolic strain rate were robust predictors of stenotic microvasculopathy, independent of age, organ age, and CAV by International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation criteria (hazard ratio: 0.07, p = 0.006 for MPRI; hazard ratio: 0.91, p = 0.002 for diastolic strain rate). Patients without stenotic microvasculopathy in the presence of no or mild CAV (n = 36) exhibited significantly higher median survival free of events, compared with patients with stenotic microvasculopathy in the presence of no or mild CAV (n = 18; p = 0.04 by log rank). CONCLUSIONS: CMR represents a valuable noninvasive diagnostic tool, which may be used for the early detection of transplant microvasculopathy before the manifestation of CAV during surveillance coronary angiographic procedures.

Low levels of natural IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine are independently associated with vascular remodeling in patients with coronary artery disease.

Low anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) IgM plasma levels have been associated with increased incidence of adverse events in coronary artery disease (CAD). The underlying mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that atheroprotection mediated by anti-PC IgM antibodies is associated with reduced vascular remodeling and therefore tested whether anti-PC IgM plasma levels independently predict vascular remodeling. In a prospective cross-sectional study, anti-PC IgM plasma levels were measured in 175 consecutive patients with suspected CAD undergoing cardiac computed tomography angiography. Plaque morphology was thoroughly analyzed. Vascular remodeling was defined by a change in the vessel diameter at the plaque site in comparison to the reference segment proximal to the lesion (reference diameter) of ≥10%. Mean age of the patients was 64.8 ± 10.7 years, 48.6% were female. In 98 patients CAD was diagnosed, 57 (58.2%) of which displayed non-obstructive CAD (stenosis <50%), whereas 41 (41.8%) exhibited obstructive CAD (stenosis ≥50%). In 34 of 98 (34.7%) CAD patients vascular remodeling was present. Mean anti-PC IgM levels did not differ between patients with and without CAD (70.8 ± 52.7 vs. 69.1 ± 55.1 U/mL). However, anti-PC IgM levels were significantly lower in CAD patients compared to those without vascular remodeling (46.6 ± 31.6 vs. 73.3 ± 58.5 U/mL, P = 0.024). Using multivariate logistic regression, anti-PC IgM plasma levels independently predicted coronary vascular remodeling (HR 0.322, 95% confidence interval 0.121-0.856, P = 0.023). In conclusion, low anti-PC IgM levels are independently associated with coronary vascular remodeling. These findings may represent the link between in vitro studies demonstrating atheroprotective effects of anti-PC IgM and clinical data demonstrating that low anti-PC IgM levels are associated with adverse outcome in CAD patients.

The extent of aortic annulus calcification is a predictor of postprocedural eccentricity and paravalvular regurgitation: a pre- and postinterventional cardiac computed tomography angiography study.

PURPOSE: To investigate if the extent of aortic valve calcification is associated with postprocedural prosthesis eccentricity and paravalvular regurgitation (PAR) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). METHODS: Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) was performed before and 3 months after TAVI in 46 patients who received the self-expanding CoreValve and in 22 patients who underwent balloon-expandable Edwards Sapien XT implantation. Aortic annulus calcification was measured with CCTA prior to TAVI and prosthesis eccentricity was assessed with post-TAVI CCTA. Standard echocardiography was also performed in all patients at 3-month follow-up exam. RESULTS: Annulus eccentricity was reduced during TAVI using both implantation systems (from 0.23 ± 0.06 to 0.18 ± 0.07 using CoreValve and from 0.20 ± 0.07 to 0.05 ± 0.03 using Edwards Sapien XT; P<.001 for both). With Edwards Sapien XT, eccentricity reduction at the level of the aortic annulus was significantly higher compared with CoreValve (P<.001). Annulus eccentricity after CoreValve use was significantly related to absolute valve calcification and to valve calcification indexed to body surface area (BSA) (r = 0.48 and 0.50, respectively; P<.001 for both). Furthermore, a significant association was observed between aortic valve calcification and PAR (P<.01 by ANOVA) in patients who received CoreValve. Using ROC analysis, a cut-off value over 913 mm² aortic valve calcification predicted the occurrence of moderate or severe PAR with a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 63% (area under the curve = 0.75). Furthermore, multivariable analysis showed that aortic valve calcification was a robust predictor of postprocedural eccentricity and PAR, independent of the aortic annulus size and native valve eccentricity and of CoreValve prosthesis size (adjusted r = 0.46 and 0.50, respectively; P<.01 for both). Such associations were not present with the Edwards Sapien XT system. CONCLUSION: The extent of native aortic annulus calcification is predictive for postprocedural prosthesis eccentricity and PAR, which is an important marker for long-term mortality in patients undergoing TAVI. This observation applies for the CoreValve, but not for the Edwards Sapien XT valve.

Dobutamine stress cardiac magnetic resonance versus echocardiography for the assessment of outcome in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. Are the two imaging modalities comparable?

PURPOSE: To compare the value of Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) with that provided by Dobutamine Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (DCMR) for the non-invasive risk stratification of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Patients with suspected or known CAD underwent either DSE or DCMR using the same standardized protocol. Patient matching was then performed retrospectively for age, gender and risk factors. Outcome data including cardiac death and non-fatal myocardial infarction (defined as hard cardiac events) and 'late' revascularization performed >90days after the diagnostic procedures were collected during at least 6months. RESULTS: Follow-up data were available in 1852 patients who completed either DSE (n=884) or DCMR (n=884) during a mean follow-up duration of 4.1±2.4 and 3.9±1.9years, respectively (p=NS). Matched patients exhibited an overall high risk profile (69±9years; 69% male, 70% history of CAD and 26% diabetes mellitus in both groups). Using multivariable analysis, both modalities successfully identified patients with inducible ischemia at higher risk for subsequent hard cardiac events, surpassing the value of conventional risk factors like age, male gender and diabetes (HR=9.2; 95%CI=5.6-14.9 for DCMR versus 2.5; 95%CI=1.7-3.7 for DSE). By testing for interaction the predictive capacity of DCMR was higher than that provided by DSE (p=0.02). Patients with negative DCMR exhibited lower event rates compared to those with negative DSE (annual hard cardiac event rate of 0.8% versus 3.2%, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: DSE & DCMR aid the risk stratification of CAD patients. However, inducible WMA during DCMR are associated with a higher risk for subsequent cardiac events. Patients with negative DCMR on the other hand, exhibited a lower event rate compared to those with negative DSE.

When do we really need coronary calcium scoring prior to contrast-enhanced coronary computed tomography angiography? Analysis by age, gender and coronary risk factors.

AIMS: To investigate the value of coronary calcium scoring (CCS) as a filter scan prior to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). METHODS AND RESULTS: Between February 2008 and April 2011, 732 consecutive patients underwent clinically indicated CCTA. During this 'control phase', CCS was performed in all patients. In patients with CCS≥800, CCTA was not performed. During a subsequent 'CCTA phase' (May 2011-May 2012) another 200 consecutive patients underwent CCTA, and CCS was performed only in patients with increased probability for severe calcification according to age, gender and atherogenic risk factors. In patients where CCS was not performed, calcium scoring was performed in contrast-enhanced CCTA images. Significant associations were noted between CCS and age (r = 0.30, p<0.001) and coronary risk factors (χ2 = 37.9; HR = 2.2; 95%CI = 1.7-2.9, p<0.001). Based on these associations, a ≤3% pre-test probability for CCS≥800 was observed for males <61 yrs. and females <79 yrs. According to these criteria, CCS was not performed in 106 of 200 (53%) patients during the 'CCTA phase', including 47 (42%) males and 59 (67%) females. This resulted in absolute radiation saving of ∼1 mSv in 75% of patients younger than 60 yrs. Of 106 patients where CCS was not performed, estimated calcium scoring was indeed <800 in 101 (95%) cases. Non-diagnostic image quality due to calcification was similar between the 'control phase' and the 'CCTA' group (0.25% versus 0.40%, p = NS). CONCLUSION: The value of CCS as a filter for identification of a high calcium score is limited in younger patients with intermediate risk profile. Omitting CCS in such patients can contribute to further dose reduction with cardiac CT studies.

Body mass index-adapted prospective coronary computed tomography angiography. Determining the lowest limit for diagnostic purposes.

PURPOSE: To investigate the value of 4 different protocols for prospectively triggered 256-slice coronary computed tomography angiography (coronary CTA). METHODS: Two hundred and ten patients underwent prospectively triggered coronary CTA for suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients with heart rate >75 bps before the scan despite ß-blocker administration and with arrhythmia were excluded. From January to September 2010, 60 patients underwent coronary CTA using a non-tailored protocol (120 kV; 200 mAs) and served as our 'control' group. From September 2010 to April 2012, based on the body mass index (BMI) of the examined patients (BMI subgroups of <25; 25-28; 28-30, and ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) current tube voltage and tube current were: (1) slightly, (2) moderately or (3) strongly reduced, resulting into the 3 following BMI-adapted acquisition groups: (1) a 'standard' (100/120 kV; 100-200 mAs; n=50), 2) a 'low dose' (100/120 kV; 75-150 mAs; n=50), and 3) an 'ultra-low dose' (100/120 kV; 50-100 mAs; n=50) protocol. RESULTS: Patients examined using the non-tailored protocol exhibited the highest radiation exposure (3.2 ± 0.4 mSv), followed by the standard (1.6 ± 0.7 mSv), low-dose (1.2 ± 0.6 mSv) and ultra-low dose protocol (0.7 ± 0.3 mSv) (radiation savings of 50%, 63% and 78% respectively). Overall image quality was similar with standard dose (1.9 ± 0.6) and low-dose (2.0 ± 0.5) compared to the non-tailored group (1.9 ± 0.5) (p=NS for all). In the ultra-low dose group however, image quality was significant reduced (2.7 ± 0.6), p<0.05 versus all other groups). CONCLUSION: Using BMI-adapted low dose acquisitions image quality can be maintained with simultaneous radiation savings of ∼65% (dose of ∼1 mSv). This appears to be the lower limit for diagnostic coronary CTA, whereas ultra-low dose acquisitions result in significant image degradation.

Conservatively treated incidental aneurysm of the distal left main coronary artery: detection by coronary angiography and noninvasive followup using coronary computed tomography angiography.

Coronary artery aneurysms are relatively rare and commonly associated with significant coronary artery disease (CAD), inflammatory diseases (Kawasaki syndrome, infection), or iatrogenic complications. Herein, we report an unusual case of an incidental coronary aneurysm of the left main artery in a patient without specific clinical symptoms of myocardial ischemia or systemic inflammation and without angiographically significant CAD. Angiographic images are provided, acquired during cardiac catheterization, as well as coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) images obtained at 1 year of followup.

Giant Dilatation of the Right Coronary Aortic Bulb with Compression of the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Mimicking a Ventricular Septal Defect: Diagnostic workup Using Echocardiography, Heart Catheterization, and Cardiac Computed Tomography.

Annuloaortic ectasia is a relatively rare diagnosis. Herein, we report an unusual case of an annuloaortic ectasia with asymmetric dilatation of the right coronary bulb mimicking a membranous ventricular septal defect (VSD) with Eisenmenger reaction by transthoracic echocardiography. Aortic angiography showed a dilated aortic root and moderate aortic regurgitation. Right cardiac catheterization, on the other hand, exhibited normal pulmonary artery blood pressure and normal pulmonary resistance, whereas normal venous gas values were measured throughout the caval vein and the right atrium, excluding relevant left-right shunting. Further diagnostic workup by cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) unambiguously illustrated the asymmetric geometry of the ectatic aortic cusp and root causing compression of the right heart and of the right ventricular (RV) outflow tract. After review of echocardiographic acquisitions, the blood flow detected between the left and right ventricles (mimicking VSD) was interpreted as turbulent inflow from the left ventricle into the ectatic right coronary cusp. Furthermore, elevated pulmonary artery blood pressure measured by echocardiography was attributed to "functional pulmonary stenosis" due to compression of the RV outflow tract by the aorta, as demonstrated by CCTA.