Cardiac amyloidosis: non-invasive diagnosis.

Cardiac amyloidosis is an infiltrative disease which requires a high degree of clinical suspicion for appropriate diagnosis. Early diagnosis and the definition of the type of amyloidosis play a key role in the early treatment and prognosis of this disease. In this context, the use of cardiac biomarkers such as troponins and NT-proBNT associated with analysis by multimodality imaging methods like echocardiographic techniques such as strain, nuclear medicine, and cardiovascular resonance imaging have an increasing role in patients with cardiac amyloidosis. This article details the role of non-invasive diagnostic methods in patients with cardiac amyloidosis.

Diretriz Brasileira de Ergometria em Crianças e Adolescentes - 2024 / Brazilian Guideline for Exercise Testing in Children and Adolescents - 2024

Classes de Recomendação Classe I: Condições para as quais há evidências conclusivas e, na sua falta, consenso geral de que o procedimento é seguro e útil/eficaz. Classe II: Condições para as quais há evidências conflitantes e/ou divergência de opinião sobre a segurança e utilidade/eficácia do procedimento. Classe IIa: Peso ou evidência/opinião a favor do procedimento. A maioria aprova. Classe IIb: Segurança e utilidade/eficácia menos estabelecidas, havendo opiniões divergentes. Classe III: Condições para as quais há evidências e/ou consenso de que o procedimento não é útil/eficaz e, em alguns casos, pode ser prejudicial. Níveis de Evidência Nível A: Dados obtidos a partir de múltiplos estudos randomizados de bom porte, concordantes e/ou de metanálise robusta de estudos randomizados. Nível B: Dados obtidos a partir de metanálise menos robusta, a partir de um único estudo randomizado e/ou de estudos observacionais. Nível C: Dados obtidos de opiniões consensuais de especialistas.

Classes of Recommendation Class I: Conditions for which there is conclusive evidence and, failing that, general agreement that a given procedure is safe and useful/effective. Class II: Conditions for which there is conflicting evidence and/or a divergence of opinion about the safety and usefulness/efficacy of a procedure. Class IIa: Weight or evidence/opinion in favor of the procedure. Most approve. Class IIb: Safety and usefulness/efficacy less well established, with divergence of opinions. Class III: Conditions for which there is evidence and/or general agreement that a procedure is not useful/effective and, in some cases, may be harmful. Levels of Evidence Level A: Data derived from multiple large, concordant randomized trials and/or robust meta-analyses of randomized trials. Level B: Data derived from less robust meta-analyses, from a single randomized trial and/or from observational studies. Level C: Data derived from consensus opinion of experts.

Dipyridamole stress myocardial perfusion by computed tomography in patients with left bundle branch block.

BACKGROUND: Functional tests have limited accuracy for identifying myocardial ischemia in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB). OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of dipyridamole-stress myocardial computed tomography perfusion (CTP) by 320-detector CT in patients with LBBB using invasive quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) (stenosis ≥ 70%) as reference; to investigate the advantage of adding CTP to coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and compare the results with those of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. METHODS: Thirty patients with LBBB who had undergone SPECT for the investigation of coronary artery disease were referred for stress tomography. Independent examiners performed per-patient and per-coronary territory assessments. All patients gave written informed consent to participate in the study that was approved by the institution's ethics committee. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 62 ± 10 years. The mean dose of radiation for the tomography protocol was 9.3 ± 4.6 mSv. With regard to CTP, the per-patient values for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were 86%, 81%, 80%, 87%, and 83%, respectively (p = 0.001). The per-territory values were 63%, 86%, 65%, 84%, and 79%, respectively (p < 0.001). In both analyses, the addition of CTP to CTA achieved higher diagnostic accuracy for detecting myocardial ischemia than SPECT (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of the stress tomography protocol is feasible and has good diagnostic accuracy for assessing myocardial ischemia in patients with LBBB.

Cardiac amyloidosis: non-invasive diagnosis

SUMMARY Cardiac amyloidosis is an infiltrative disease which requires a high degree of clinical suspicion for appropriate diagnosis. Early diagnosis and the definition of the type of amyloidosis play a key role in the early treatment and prognosis of this disease. In this context, the use of cardiac biomarkers such as troponins and NT-proBNT associated with analysis by multimodality imaging methods like echocardiographic techniques such as strain, nuclear medicine, and cardiovascular resonance imaging have an increasing role in patients with cardiac amyloidosis. This article details the role of non-invasive diagnostic methods in patients with cardiac amyloidosis.

RESUMO A amiloidose cardíaca é uma doença infiltrativa que exige um alto grau de suspeição clínica para o diagnóstico apropriado. O diagnóstico precoce e a definição do subtipo de amiloidose têm um papel fundamental para a terapêutica e prognóstico desta doença. Nesse contexto, o emprego de biomarcadores cardíacos como as troponinas e NT-proBNT associados à análise por métodos de imagem multimodalidade por técnicas ecocardiográficas atuais como o strain, medicina nuclear e a ressonância magnética cardíaca têm papel crescente em pacientes com amiloidose. Este artigo detalha a utilização dos métodos não invasivos para a avaliação de pacientes com amiloidose cardíaca.

Dipyridamole stress myocardial perfusion by computed tomography in patients with left bundle branch block / Perfusão Miocárdica de Estresse com Dipiridamol por Tomografia Computadorizada em Pacientes com Bloqueio de Ramo Esquerdo

Abstract Background: Functional tests have limited accuracy for identifying myocardial ischemia in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB). Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of dipyridamole-stress myocardial computed tomography perfusion (CTP) by 320-detector CT in patients with LBBB using invasive quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) (stenosis ≥ 70%) as reference; to investigate the advantage of adding CTP to coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and compare the results with those of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. Methods: Thirty patients with LBBB who had undergone SPECT for the investigation of coronary artery disease were referred for stress tomography. Independent examiners performed per-patient and per-coronary territory assessments. All patients gave written informed consent to participate in the study that was approved by the institution’s ethics committee. Results: The patients’ mean age was 62 ± 10 years. The mean dose of radiation for the tomography protocol was 9.3 ± 4.6 mSv. With regard to CTP, the per-patient values for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were 86%, 81%, 80%, 87%, and 83%, respectively (p = 0.001). The per-territory values were 63%, 86%, 65%, 84%, and 79%, respectively (p < 0.001). In both analyses, the addition of CTP to CTA achieved higher diagnostic accuracy for detecting myocardial ischemia than SPECT (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The use of the stress tomography protocol is feasible and has good diagnostic accuracy for assessing myocardial ischemia in patients with LBBB.

Resumo Fundamentos: Testes funcionais possuem limitada acurácia para identificar isquemia miocárdica em pacientes com bloqueio de ramo esquerdo (BRE). Objetivo: Utilizando tomógrafo com 320 detectores foi avaliado a acurácia diagnóstica da perfusão miocárdica de estresse com dipiridamol pela tomografia (PMT) em pacientes com BRE utilizando a angiografia coronária quantitativa invasiva (QCA) (estenose ≥ 70%) como referência. Procurou-se também investigar o valor adicional da PMT sobre a angiotomografia coronariana (ATC) comparando a acurácia com a cintilografia perfusional miocárdica (SPECT). Métodos: Trinta pacientes com BRE e SPECT prévio em investigação de doença arterial coronariana foram encaminhados para realização do protocolo de estresse na tomografia. Observadores independentes realizaram avaliação por paciente e por território coronariano. Todos os pacientes assinaram um termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética da Instituição. Resultados: A média de idade foi 62 ± 10 anos. A dose média de radiação do protocolo de tomografia foi 9,3 ± 4,6 mSv. Em relação a PMT, na análise por paciente, a sensibilidade, especificidade, valores preditivos positivos e negativos e acurácia foram, respectivamente, 86%, 81%, 80%, 87%, 83% p = 0,001. Na análise por território os valores foram, respectivamente, 63%, 86% a 65%, 84%, 79% p < 0,001. Em ambas as análises, a adição da PMT a ATC determinou maior acurácia diagnóstica para detecção de isquemia miocárdica quando comparado com o SPECT (p < 0,001). Conclusão: O uso do protocolo de estresse na tomografia é viável e tem boa acurácia diagnóstica na pesquisa de isquemia miocárdica nos pacientes com BRE.