OBJECTIVES In this international, multicenter study, using third-generation dual-source computed tomography (CT), we investigated the diagnostic performance of dynamic stress CT myocardial perfusion imaging (CT-MPI) in addition to coronary CT angiography (CTA) compared to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR). BACKGROUND CT-MPI combined with coronary CTA integrates

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to examine the prognostic value of T1 mapping and the extracellular volume (ECV) fraction in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). BACKGROUND Patients with DCM with functional left ventricular remodeling have poorer prognoses. Noninvasive assessment of myocardial fibrosis using T1 mapping and the ECV fraction may improve risk stratification of patients with

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the pancoronary plaque vulnerability (including culprit and nonculprit lesions) and layered phenotype in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) vs non-STEMI (NSTEMI). BACKGROUND Pancoronary vulnerability should account for distinct clinical manifestations of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Layered plaque is indicative of previous

OBJECTIVES This study sought to identify homogenous echocardiographic phenotypes in community-based cohorts and assess their association with outcomes. BACKGROUND Asymptomatic cardiac dysfunction leads to a high risk of long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, better echocardiographic classification of asymptomatic individuals remains a challenge. METHODS Echocardiographic phenotypes

OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to investigate the long-term prognostic value of inducible myocardial ischemia assessed by vasodilator stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with HFpEF. BACKGROUND Some studies suggest that ischemia could play a key role in HF in patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). METHODS Between 2008 and 2019, consecutive patients prospectively

OBJECTIVES This paper sought to evaluate the occurrence of decompression sickness (DCS) after the application of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) screening and risk stratification strategy. BACKGROUND PFO is associated with an increased risk of DCS. Recently, transcatheter closure was reported to reduce DCS occurrence in divers with a high-grade shunt. However, to date, there are no data regarding the

OBJECTIVES The goals of this study were to: 1) evaluate the cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) characteristics of pediatric cardiac masses from a large international cohort; 2) test the accuracy of previously developed CMR-based diagnostic criteria; and 3) expand diagnostic criteria using new information. BACKGROUND After diagnosis of a cardiac mass, clinicians must weigh the benefits and risks of ascertaining

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of wall shear stress (WSS) as a predictor of ascending aorta (AAo) growth at 5 years or greater follow-up. BACKGROUND Aortic 4-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can quantify regions exposed to high WSS, a known stimulus for arterial wall dysfunction. However, its association with longitudinal changes in aortic dilation in patients

OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine whether stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) provides clinically relevant risk reclassification in patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD) in a multicenter setting in the United States. BACKGROUND Despite improvements in medical therapy and coronary revascularization, patients with previous CAD account for a disproportionately large portion of

OBJECTIVES This study sought to investigate the impact of low tube voltage scanning heterogeneity of coronary luminal attenuation on plaque quantification and characterization with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). BACKGROUND The impact of low tube voltage and coronary luminal attenuation on quantitative coronary plaque remains uncertain. METHODS A total of 1,236 consecutive patients

OBJECTIVES The authors aimed to study the sensitivity and specificity of exercise treadmill testing (ETT) in the diagnosis of coronary microvascular disease (CMD), as well as the prognostic implications of ETT results in patients with CMD. BACKGROUND ETT is validated to evaluate for flow-limiting coronary artery disease (CAD), however, little is known about its use for evaluating CMD. METHODS We retrospectively

OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to quantify preoperative myocardial fibrosis using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), extracellular volume fraction (ECV%), and indexed extracellular volume (iECV) on cardiac magnetic resonance; determine whether this varies following surgery; and examine the impact on postoperative outcomes. BACKGROUND Myocardial fibrosis complicates chronic severe primary mitral

OBJECTIVES The objective was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) cine and strain imaging before and after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for assessment of response and the optimal resynchronization pacing strategy. BACKGROUND CMR with cardiac implantable electronic devices can safely provide high-quality right ventricular/left ventricular (LV)

OBJECTIVE The aim of this work was to evaluate the prognostic impact of statin therapy in symptomatic patients without obstructive CAD. BACKGROUND Information on the prognostic impact of post-coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) statin use in patients with no or nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is sparse. METHODS Patients undergoing CTA with suspected CAD in western Denmark from

OBJECTIVES This study investigated whether pulmonary artery (PA) 18F-FDG uptake is associated with hypertension, and if it correlates to elevated pulmonary pressures. BACKGROUND 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has been used to assess inflammation mostly in large arteries of the systemic circulation

OBJECTIVES This study aimed at investigating the additional contribution of coronary artery calcium (CAC) score to SAFEHEART (Spanish Familial Hypercholesterolemia Cohort Study) risk equation (SAFEHEART-RE) for cardiovascular risk prediction in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). BACKGROUND Common cardiovascular risk equations are imprecise for HeFH. Because of the high phenotype variability

OBJECTIVES This study aims to define excess-mortality linked to functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) quantified in routine-practice. BACKGROUND Appraisal of FMR in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is challenging because risks of excess mortality remain uncertain and guidelines diverge. METHODS Cases of HFrEF (ejection-fraction <50%) Stage B-C that were diagnosed between 2003 and

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate mitral annular dynamics in atrial fibrillation (AF) and after sinus rhythm restoration, and to assess the relationship between annular dynamics and mitral regurgitation (MR). BACKGROUND AF can be associated with MR that improves after sinus rhythm restoration. Mechanisms underlying this atrial functional MR (AFMR) are ill-understood and generally attributed

OBJECTIVES The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the diagnostic performance of various CMR imaging parameters for evaluating acute cardiac transplant rejection. BACKGROUND Endomyocardial biopsy is the current gold standard for detection of acute cardiac transplant rejection. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is uniquely capable of myocardial tissue characterization and may be useful as a noninvasive

OBJECTIVES This study aims to investigate the prognostic significance of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in patients without coronary artery disease and with normal range left ventricular (LV) volumes and ejection fraction. BACKGROUND Nonischemic patterns of LGE with normal LV volumes and ejection fraction are increasingly detected on cardiovascular magnetic resonance, but their prognostic significance

OBJECTIVES This study sought to develop and evaluate a novel, general purpose, explainable deep learning model (coronary artery disease-deep learning [CAD-DL]) for the detection of obstructive CAD following single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). BACKGROUND Explainable artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated within standard clinical software to

OBJECTIVES This study used cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to assess left ventricular (LV) remodeling in chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) to identify both forms of myocardial fibrosis and examine its association with clinical outcomes. BACKGROUND Chronic AR leads to LV remodeling, which is associated with 2 forms of myocardial fibrosis: regional replacement fibrosis that is directly imaged by late

OBJECTIVES The aim of this work was to identify the key morphological and functional features in secondary mitral regurgitation (sMR) and their prognostic impact on outcome. BACKGROUND Secondary sMR in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction typically results from distortion of the underlying cardiac architecture. The morphological components which may account for the clinical impact