Multimodality Imaging Assessment of Tetralogy of Fallot: From Diagnosis to Long-Term Follow-Up.

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common complex congenital heart disease with long-term survivors, demanding serial monitoring of the possible complications that can be encountered from the diagnosis to long-term follow-up. Cardiovascular imaging is key in the diagnosis and serial assessment of TOF patients, guiding patients' management and providing prognostic information. Thorough knowledge of the pathophysiology and expected sequalae in TOF, as well as the advantages and limitations of different non-invasive imaging modalities that can be used for diagnosis and follow-up, is the key to ensuring optimal management of patients with TOF. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of each modality and common protocols used in clinical practice in the assessment of TOF patients.

Computed tomography and nuclear medicine for the assessment of coronary inflammation: clinical applications and perspectives.

There is increasing evidence that in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) under optimal medical therapy, a persisting dysregulation of the lipid and glucose metabolism, associated with adipose tissue dysfunction and inflammation, predicts a substantial residual risk of disease progression and cardiovascular events. Despite the inflammatory nature of ASCVD, circulating biomarkers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and interleukins may lack specificity for vascular inflammation. As known, dysfunctional epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) produce pro-inflammatory mediators and promote cellular tissue infiltration triggering further pro-inflammatory mechanisms. The consequent tissue modifications determine the attenuation of PCAT as assessed and measured by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Recently, relevant studies have demonstrated a correlation between EAT and PCAT and obstructive coronary artery disease, inflammatory plaque status and coronary flow reserve (CFR). In parallel, CFR is well recognized as a marker of coronary vasomotor function that incorporates the haemodynamic effects of epicardial, diffuse and small-vessel disease on myocardial tissue perfusion. An inverse relationship between EAT volume and coronary vascular function and the association of PCAT attenuation and impaired CFR have already been reported. Moreover, many studies demonstrated that 18F-FDG PET is able to detect PCAT inflammation in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. Importantly, the perivascular FAI (fat attenuation index) showed incremental value for the prediction of adverse clinical events beyond traditional risk factors and CCTA indices by providing a quantitative measure of coronary inflammation. As an indicator of increased cardiac mortality, it could guide early targeted primary prevention in a wide spectrum of patients. In this review, we summarize the current evidence regarding the clinical applications and perspectives of EAT and PCAT assessment performed by CCTA and the prognostic information derived by nuclear medicine.

Assessment of Coronary Inflammation by Pericoronary Fat Attenuation Index in Clinically Suspected Myocarditis with Infarct-Like Presentation.

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of angina-like symptoms in myocarditis is still unclear. Perivascular fat attenuation index (pFAI) by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a non-invasive marker of coronary inflammation (CI) in atherosclerosis. We explored the presence of CI in clinically suspected myocarditis with infarct-like presentation. METHODS: We retrospectively included 15 consecutive patients (67% male, age 30 ± 10 years) with clinically suspected infarct-like myocarditis who underwent CCTA to rule out coronary artery disease. Right coronary artery (RCA) pFAI mean value was compared with that of healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Mean RCA pFAI value was -92.8 ± 8.4 HU, similar to that of healthy volunteers (-95.2 ± 6.0, p = 0.8). We found no correlation between RCA pFAI mean values and peak Troponin I (r = -0.43, p = 0.11) and C-reactive protein at diagnosis (r = -0.25, p = 0.42). Patients with higher pFAI values showed higher biventricular end-systolic volumes (ESV) (p = 0.038 for left and p = 0.024 for right ventricle) and lower right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) (p = 0.038) on cardiovascular magnetic resonance. CONCLUSIONS: In clinically suspected myocarditis with infarct-like presentation, RCA pFAI values are lower than those validated in atherosclerosis. The correlation between higher pFAI values, higher biventricular ESV and lower RVEF, may suggest a role of pFAI in predicting non-atherosclerotic CI (i.e., infective/immune-mediated "endothelialitis").

Indirect ultrasound evaluation of left ventricular outflow tract diameter implications for heart failure and aortic stenosis severity assessment.

BACKGROUND: Whereas dependency of left ventricular outflow tract diameter (LVOTD) from body surface area (BSA) has been established and a BSA-based LVOTD formula has been derived, the relationship between LVOTD and aortic root and LV dimensions has never been explored. This may have implications for evaluation of LV output in heart failure (HF) and aortic stenosis (AS) severity. METHODS: A cohort of 540 HF patients who underwent transthoracic echocardiography was divided in a derivation and validation subgroup. In the derivation subgroup (N = 340), independent determinants of LVOTD were analyzed to derive a regression equation, which was used for predicting LVOTD in the validation subgroup (N = 200) and compared with the BSA-derived formula. RESULTS: LVOTD determinants in the derivation subgroup were sinuses of Valsalva diameter (SVD, beta = 0.392, P < .001), BSA (beta = 0.229, P < .001), LV end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD, beta = 0.145, P = .001), and height (beta = 0.125, P = .037). The regression equation for predicting LVOTD with the aforementioned variables (LVOTD = 6.209 + [0.201 × SVD] + [1.802 × BSA] + [0.03 × LVEDD] + [0.025 × Height]) did not differ from (P = .937) and was highly correlated with measured LVOTD (R = 0.739, P < .001) in the validation group. Repeated analysis with LV end-diastolic volume instead of LVEDD and/or accounting for gender showed similar results, whereas BSA-derived LVOTD values were different from measured LVOTD (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Aortic root and LV dimensions affect LVOTD independently from anthropometric data and are included in a new comprehensive equation for predicting LVOTD. This should improve evaluation of LV output in HF and severity of AS when direct LVOTD measurement is difficult or impossible.

[The role of transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of the embolic risk during infective endocarditis: a critical review]. / Revisione critica del ruolo dell'ecocardiografia transesofagea nella valutazione del rischio embolico nell'endocardite batterica subacuta.

Embolic events are a frequent and life-threatening complication of infective endocarditis. This review is focused on the role of echocardiography, especially transesophageal echocardiography, in predicting embolic events and in the clinical and therapeutic management of patients with infective endocarditis.