Cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the identification of extra-cardiac causes of myocarditis: a case series.

Background: Myocarditis is challenging to diagnose due to its varied presentations. Endomyocardial biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis, but its invasive nature has led to alternative non-invasive modalities, notably cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Identifying the precise aetiology of myocarditis is crucial for effective treatment, yet extra-cardiac causes are often overlooked. In this paper, we spotlight the underexplored role of CMR in diagnosing extra-cardiac aetiologies, utilizing three insightful cases for illustration. Case summary: The first case is a 31-year-old patient with myocarditis secondary to a pyogenic liver abscess, identified through CMR, who improved after abscess drainage. The second case involves a 54-year-old patient with myocarditis attributed to adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma, with the loco-regional thickening process identified thanks to CMR. This patient had an unfavourable disease progression due to the underlying malignancy. The third case concerns a 23-year-old patient suffering from myocarditis associated with pneumonia, again illustrated effectively through CMR imaging, who recovered after antibiotic treatment. Discussion: These cases underline the overlooked potential of CMR in diagnosing extra-cardiac aetiologies of myocarditis, even though such causes are rare. Despite current guidelines recognizing the importance of identifying the aetiology of myocarditis, they do not explicitly address the role of CMR in diagnosing extra-cardiac aetiologies. This article, therefore, proposes that future guidelines could emphasize the utility of CMR in exploring these causes, potentially leading to more accurate diagnoses and improved patient outcomes. It also advocates for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to myocarditis diagnosis, encouraging vigilance for potential loco-regional causes, and calls for further research in this area.

VEGF-A plasma levels are associated with impaired DLCO and radiological sequelae in long COVID patients.

BACKGROUND: Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), is characterized by persistent clinical symptoms following COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To correlate biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction with persistent clinical symptoms and pulmonary function defects at distance from COVID-19. METHODS: Consecutive patients with long COVID-19 suspicion were enrolled. A panel of endothelial biomarkers was measured in each patient during clinical evaluation and pulmonary function test (PFT). RESULTS: The study included 137 PASC patients, mostly male (68%), with a median age of 55 years. A total of 194 PFTs were performed between months 3 and 24 after an episode of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We compared biomarkers evaluated in PASC patients with 20 healthy volunteers (HVs) and acute hospitalized COVID-19 patients (n = 88). The study found that angiogenesis-related biomarkers and von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels were increased in PASC patients compared to HVs without increased inflammatory or platelet activation markers. Moreover, VEGF-A and VWF were associated with persistent lung CT scan lesions and impaired diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) measurement. By employing a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, we further confirmed the accuracy of VEGF-A and VWF. Following adjustment, VEGF-A emerged as the most significant predictive factor associated with persistent lung CT scan lesions and impaired DLCO measurement. CONCLUSION: VEGF-A is a relevant predictive factor for DLCO impairment and radiological sequelae in PASC. Beyond being a biomarker, we hypothesize that the persistence of angiogenic disorders may contribute to long COVID symptoms.

Acute digit ischemia due to a ruptured digital collateral artery aneurysm in a patient of hemophilia: A case report.

Introduction: Digital artery aneurysms are a rare event but cases have been reported in the literature. The hemostasis disorders make these aneurysms particularly dangerous with potentially irreversible hand complications: Compression of adjacent vascular and nervous structures, embolization of associated thrombi, finger ischemia, and necrosis. Case Report: We reported a case of digital ischemia due to a ruptured aneurysm of a digital collateral artery, leading to the diagnosis of congenital hemophilia A. Hematoma evacuation allowed finger revascularization. Complete symptom resolution required ligature excision associated with Factor VIII supplementation. Conclusion: Aneurysms of the digital collateral arteries are a rare event. In the case of a hemophilic patient, surgical management is necessary, and medical treatment alone is not sufficient. The consequences of a ruptured aneurysm in this type of patient can be serious. A close monitoring is required to ensure the absence of early recurrence.

Middle lobe suffering due to malposition and 180° tilt of the 2 remaining lobes after right upper lobectomy.

Middle lobe (ML) suffering after right upper lobectomy (RUL) is rare but represents a major complication usually due to lobar torsion. We report 3 atypical consecutive cases of ML suffering due to malposition of the 2 remaining right lobes with a 180° tilt. All 3 female patients had surgery for non-small-cell carcinoma including RUL associated with radical hilar and mediastinal lymph node removal. Postoperative chest X-ray abnormalities appeared at days 1-3 respectively. The diagnosis of malposition of the 2 lobes was done on contrast-enhanced chest CT scan at days 7, 7 and 6, respectively. A reoperation for suspected ML torsion was required in all patients. Three repositionings of the 2 lobes and 1 middle lobectomy were performed. The postoperative courses were then uneventful, and the 3 patients were alive at a mean follow-up of 12 months. Before thoracic approach closure after RUL, systematic check of good positioning of the 2 reinflated remaining lobes is indispensable. It may prevent ML suffering secondary to 180° lobar tilt leading to whole pulmonary malposition.

Ruptured pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm treated with stent graft: case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Hemoptysis is a severe condition, associated with a high mortality rate from asphyxiation. Less than 5% of cases come from the pulmonary arterial circulation and large pseudoaneurysm are rarely treatable by stent graft. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 74-year-old man who suffered from a new onset of hemoptysis despite a prior bronchial artery embolization. He underwent a rescue endovascular stent graft placement for a massive hemoptysis caused by a ruptured proximal pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm. A short review of similar situations is provided. CONCLUSION: Salvage endovascular stent graft placement for a massive hemoptysis caused by a ruptured proximal pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm is a viable salvage technique for life-threatening hemoptysis.

Challenge of a therapeutic sequence: rare case of heart failure in mitral valvular disease intensified by an extreme mediastinal shift from major diaphragmatic eventration.

Extreme mediastinal shift due to major diaphragm eventration is complex when mitral-valve repair is required. We report the case of a 59-year-old woman with diaphragmatic eventration who had 2 recent episodes of heart failure due to arrythmia associated with severe mitral-valve regurgitation (regurgitant orifice area 47 mm2). Forced expiratory flow-volume in the first second and vital capacity (VC) were at 32% and 33%, respectively,decreasing to 20% and 30% when she was in a supine position. We found it impossible to repair the valve first because of the extreme mediastinal shift and respiratory dysfunction. Therefore, we decided to perform diaphragm plication first followed 3 months later by mitral valve repair. Six months after the cardiac operation, the patient showed significant clinical improvement. Forced expiratory flow-volume in the first second and vital capacity increased to 58% and 55%, respectively. The decision to perform the thoracic operation first, followed by the cardiac operation, was the key to improving the patient's respiratory function and to medializing the heart to safely support cardiac surgery.

Diastolic Function Assessment of Left and Right Ventricles by MRI in Systemic Sclerosis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Heart involvement is frequent although often clinically silent in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. Early identification of cardiac involvement can be improved by noninvasive methods such as MRI, in addition to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). PURPOSE: To assess the ability of phase-contrast (PC)-MRI to detect subclinical left (LV) and right (RV) ventricular diastolic dysfunction in SSc patients. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: Thirty-five consecutive SSc patients (49 ± 14 years) and 35 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (48.6 ± 13.5 years) who underwent TTE and MRI in the same week. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 5 T/PC-MRI using a breath-hold velocity-encoded gradient echo sequence. ASSESSMENT: LV TTE (E/E') and LV and RV PC-MRI indices of diastolic function (LV early and late transmitral [EM , EfM , AM , AfM ] and RV transtricuspid [ET , EfT , AT , AfT ] peak filling flow velocities and flow rates, as well as LV [ E M ' ] and RV [ E T ' ] peak longitudinal myocardial velocities during diastole) were measured. STATISTICAL TESTS: Two-tailed t-test, Wilcoxon test, or Fischer test for comparison of variables between SSc and healthy control groups; sensitivity, specificity, receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) to assess discriminative ability of variables. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: TTE LV E/E' and MRI EM / E M ' and ET / E T ' were significantly higher in SSc patients than in controls (8.27 ± 1.25 vs. 6.70 ± 1.66; 9.43 ± 2.7 vs. 6.51 ± 1.50; 6.51 [4.70-10.40] vs. 4.13 [3.22-5.75], respectively) and separated SSc patients and healthy controls with good sensitivity (68%, 71%, and 80%), specificity (85%, 94%, and 62%), and AUC (0.787, 0.807, and 0.765). LV EfM was significantly higher in SSc patients than in controls (347.1 ± 113.7 vs. 284.7 ± 94.6) as RVAfT (277 [231-355] vs. 220 [154-253] mL/sec) with impaired relaxation pattern (EfT /AfT , 0.95 [0.87-1.21] vs. 1.12 [0.93-1.47]). DATA CONCLUSION: MRI was able to detect LV and RV diastolic dysfunction in SSc patients with good accuracy in the absence of LV systolic dysfunction at echocardiography. Use of MRI can allow to better assess the early impact of myocardial fibrosis related to SSc. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

[Imaging assessment and diagnostic guidance of upper aerodigestive tract cancers]. / Bilan d'imagerie et orientation diagnostique des cancers des voies aérodigestives supérieures.

The upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) has a complex anatomical architecture, which is only partially accessible by clinical examination and for which a detailed imaging analysis is necessary to assist in decision making and therapeutic planning. The quality of image interpretation by the radiologist will benefit from the clinical elements provided by the referring physician. In addition to the topographical and morphological information of the tumor, the imaging report will specify the deep extensions, in particular peri-nerve, endocranial, orbital, deep cervical, cartilaginous and infra-glottic, which are often underestimated at the clinical examination. The close collaboration between specialized radiologists and clinicians contributes to a better management of the patient's tumor pathology.

RÉSUMÉ BILAN D'IMAGERIE ET ORIENTATION DIAGNOSTIQUE DES CANCERS DES VOIES AÉRODIGESTIVES SUPÉRIEURES. Les voies aérodigestives supérieures (VADS) ont une architecture anatomique complexe, d'accès partiel à l'examen clinique et dont l'analyse fine en imagerie est nécessaire afin d'aider à la décision et à la planification thérapeutique. La qualité de l'interprétation des images par le radiologue bénéficie des éléments cliniques fournis par le médecin référent. Outre les informations topographiques et morphologiques de la tumeur, le compte-rendu d'imagerie précise les extensions profondes, en particulier périnerveuses, endocrâniennes, orbitaires, cervicales profondes, cartilagineuses et infraglottiques, souvent sous-estimées à l'examen clinique. La collaboration étroite entre radiologues spécialisés et cliniciens contribue pour le patient à une meilleure prise en charge de sa pathologie tumorale.

Visual lung damage CT score at hospital admission of COVID-19 patients and 30-day mortality.

OBJECTIVES: Chest CT has been widely used to screen and to evaluate the severity of COVID-19 disease in the early stages of infection without severe acute respiratory syndrome, but no prospective data are available to study the relationship between extent of lung damage and short-term mortality. The objective was to evaluate association between standardized simple visual lung damage CT score (vldCTs) at admission, which does not require any software, and 30-day mortality. METHODS: In a single-center prospective cohort of COVID-19 patients included during 4 weeks, the presence and extent of ground glass opacities(GGO), consolidation opacities, or both of them were visually assessed in each of the 5 lung lobes (score from 0 to 4 per lobe depending on the percentage and out of 20 per patient = vldCTs) after the first chest CT performed to detect COVID-19 pneumonia. RESULTS: Among 210 confirmed COVID-19 patients, the number of survivors and non-survivors was 162 (77%) and 48 (23%), respectively at 30 days. vldCTs was significantly higher in non-survivors, and the AUC of vldCTs to distinguish survivors and non-survivors was 0.72 (95%CI 0.628-0.807, p < 0.001); the best cut-off vldCTs value was 7. During follow-up, significant differences in discharges and 30-day mortality were observed between patients with vldCTs ≥ 7 versus vldCTs < 7: (98 [85.2%] vs 49 [51.6%]; p < 0.001 and 36 [37.9%] vs 12 [12.4%]; p < 0.001, respectively. The 30-day mortality increased if vldCTs ≥ 7 (HR, 3.16 (1.50-6.43); p = 0.001), independent of age, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation levels, and comorbidities at admission. CONCLUSIONS: By using chest CT in COVID-19 patients, extensive lung damage can be visually assessed with a score related to 30-day mortality independent of conventional risk factors of the disease. KEY POINTS: • In non-selected COVID-19 patients included prospectively during 4 weeks, the extent of ground glass opacities(GGO) and consolidation opacities evaluated by a simple visual score was related to 30-day mortality independent of age, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation levels, comorbidities, and hs-troponin I level at admission. • This severity score should be incorporated into risk stratification algorithms and in structured chest CT reports requiring a standardized reading by radiologists in case of COVID-19.