Churg-Strauss syndrome with cardiac involvement: case illustration and contribution of CMR in the diagnosis and clinical follow-up.

This report summarises three cases of Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) illustrating the diagnostic challenges associated with the cardiac manifestation of this disease. Here, we illustrate the role of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) for diagnosis and follow-up of CSS with a focus on new non-contrast T2-weighted imaging sequences for quantification of myocardial scar tissue and quantitative T2 mapping techniques, which allow the detection of myocardial edema.

[Cardiac MR in development: the large multicenter CMR studies in 2012]. / IRM cardiaque en évolution: de grandes études multicentriques en 2012.

The results of several large multicenter CMR studies were reported in 2012, thus, constantly corroborating the evidence on CMR performance. In this review, we present results of the MR-IMPACT programme and the CE-MARC study, which demonstrated the superiority of perfusion-CMR over gated SPECT for the workup of suspected CAD, the currently available data from the European CMR registry, comprising almost 30,000 patients from 57 participating centers in 15 European countries, and finally, the results of the Advisa-MRI study, which documented the safety of a MRI-compatible pacemaker system. These large trials and others set the basis for the recommendations in the new European guidelines on heart failure to use CMR as a first line method if echocardiographic quality is inadequate or the etiology of heart failure is unclear.

[Cardiology]. / Cardiologie.

The present review provides a selected choice of clinical research in the field of interventional cardiology, heart failure and cardiac imaging. We also focused on the new guidelines published by the European society of cardiology in 2012.

Combined evaluation of myocardial perfusion and coronary morphology in the identification of subclinical CAD. Radiation exposure of 13N-ammonia PET/CT.

PURPOSE: to evaluate the mean effective radiation dose of 13N-ammonia PET/CT and ECG-pulsing CT angiography (CTA) in the evaluation of myocardial perfusion, myocardial blood flow (MBF) and coronary morphology for the identification of subclinical CAD. PATIENTS, MATERIAL, METHODS: following rest-stress 13N-ammonia PET/CT perfusion imaging and MBF quantification, ECG-pulsing CTA at a pulse window of 70% of the R-R cycle was performed in ten healthy controls and in sixteen individuals with cardiovascular risk factors. Individual radiation dose exposure for ECG-pulsing CTA was estimated from the dose-length product. RESULTS: PET demonstrated normal perfusion in all study individuals, while hyperemic MBFs during dipyridamole stimulation and the myocardial flow reserve (MFR) in cardiovascular risk individuals were significantly lower than in healthy controls (1.34±0.26 vs. 2.28±0.47 ml/g/min and 1.48±0.39 vs. 3.24±0.81, both p≤0.0001). Further, ECG-pulsing CTA identified mild calcified and non-calcified coronary plaque burden in 7 (43%) individuals of the cardiovascular risk group. Rest-stress 13N-ammonia PET/CT perfusion study yielded a mean effective radiation dose of 3.07±0.06 mSv (2.07±0.06 mSv from the rest-stress 13N-ammonia injections and 1.0 mSv from the 2 CT transmission scans), while ECG-pulsing CTA was associated with 5.57±2.00 mSv. The mean effective radiation dose of the combined 13N-ammonia PET/CT and ECG-pulsing CTA exams in the evaluation of myocardial perfusion and coronary morphology was 8.0±1.5 mSv. CONCLUSION: 13N-ammonia PET/CT and ECG-pulsing CTA affords cardiac hybrid imaging studies in the evaluation of subclinical CAD with a relatively low mean effective radiation exposure of 8.0±1.5mSv.

A case of phobic anxiety related to the inability to smell cyanide.

This report describes a case of phobic anxiety relating to cyanide in a process operator who is unable to smell hydrogen cyanide. This case demonstrates that hazardous substances in the workplace can provoke this mental disorder in individuals who are unable to detect by special senses whether or not a specific hazard is present. The clinical management of such individuals is complicated since they must be able to perceive the feared object or substance in order to overcome their anxiety.

[Variations of plasma renin in hemodialysis]. / Variazioni della renina plasmatica in corso di emodialisi.

We evaluated the variations of serum renin concentrations during hemodialysis in 17 patients (5 hypertensive and 12 normotensive). In addition we have studied the relationships between serum renin levels, right heart atrium diameters, arterial pressure, and body weight. At the end of the hemodialytic process we observed in both groups of patients an increase in the serum renin concentrations, as well as changes in the above parameters.

Service families: a new perspective for the general practitioner.

The psychological problems among the dependents of armed servicemen presenting to general practitioners are discussed, with particular emphasis on how the peculiarities of service life contribute to their aetiology and presentation. Within the UK, primary health care for service dependents is increasingly being provided by National Health Service general practitioners who have no knowledge of service life. An understanding of this minority group with its different lifestyle and subculture is important for management of these disorders.