Head-to-head comparison of left ventricular function assessment with 64-row computed tomography, biplane left cineventriculography, and both 2- and 3-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography: comparison with magnetic resonance imaging as the reference standard.

Objectives: This study was designed to compare the accuracy of 64-row contrast computed tomography (CT), invasive cineventriculography (CVG), 2-dimensional echocardiography (2D Echo), and 3-dimensional echocardiography (3D Echo) for left ventricular (LV) function assessment with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Background: Cardiac function is an important determinant of therapy and is a major predictor for long-term survival in patients with coronary artery disease. A number of methods are available for assessment of function, but there are limited data on the comparison between these multiple methods in the same patients.

Early right ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis without pulmonary hypertension: a Doppler Tissue and Speckle Tracking echocardiography study.

Background: Isovolumetric acceleration (IVA) is a novel tissue Doppler parameter for the assessment of systolic function. The aim of this study was to evaluate IVA as an early parameter for the detection of right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) without pulmonary hypertension.

Methods: 22 patients and 22 gender- and age-matched healthy subjects underwent standard echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and speckle tracking strain to assess RV function.

Is antiarrhythmia device implantation safe under dual antiplatelet therapy?

Background: Device implantations in patients on dual antiplatelet-therapy (DA-therapy) continue to rise. The aim of our study was to compile and analyze data on complications of antiarrhythmia device implantation under DA-therapy.

Methods: We prospectively collected data on all device implantations in our department from January 2008 until February 2009.

Implementation of seven echocardiographic parameters of myocardial asynchrony to improve the long-term response rate of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Background: Cardiac resynchronization Therapy (CRT) is an effective therapy for chronic heart failure with beneficial hemodynamic effects leading to a reduction of morbidity and mortality. The responder rates, however, are low. There are various and contentious echocardiographic parameters of myocardial asynchrony.

Circumferential 2D-strain imaging for the prediction of long term response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background: Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) leads to hemodynamic and clinical improvement in heart failure patients. The established methods to evaluate myocardial asynchrony analyze longitudinal and radial myocardial function. This study evaluates the new method of circumferential 2D-strain imaging in the prediction of the long-term response to CRT.

Interventricular septum hematoma during cineventriculography.

Background: Intraseptal hematoma and subsequent myocardial infarction due to accidental contrast agent deposition complicating diagnostic cineventriculography is a previously undescribed complication of angiography.

Case Presentation: A 61 year old man was admitted at intensive care unit because of unstable angina pectoris 1 hour after coronary angiography. Transthoracic contrast echocardiography showed a non-perfused area in the middle of interventricular septum with an increase of thickening up to 26 mm.

Noninvasive monitoring of myocardial function after surgical and cytostatic therapy in a peritoneal metastasis rat model: assessment with tissue Doppler and non-Doppler 2D strain echocardiography.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the impact of different antineoplastic treatment methods on systolic and diastolic myocardial function, and the feasibility estimation of regional deformation parameters with non-Doppler 2D echocardiography in rats.

Background: The optimal method for quantitative assessment of global and regional ventricular function in rats and the impact of complex oncological multimodal therapy on left- and right-ventricular function in rats remains unclear.

Methods: 90 rats after subperitoneal implantation of syngenetic colonic carcinoma cells underwent different onclogical treatment methods and were diveded into one control group and five treatment groups (with 15 rats in each group): group 1 = control group (without operation and without medication), group 2 = operation group without additional therapy, group 3 = combination of operation and photodynamic therapy, group 4 = operation in combination with hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy with mitomycine, and group 5 = operation in combination with hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy with gemcitabine, group 6 = operation in combination with taurolidin i.

Haemodynamic effects of intravenous quinaprilat in comparison to sodium nitroprusside in patients with chronic heart failure.

We compared the haemodynamic effects of intravenous boluses of the ACE inhibitor quinaprilat with an intravenous infusion of sodium nitroprusside in 23 patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA Class III or IV). At the highest drug doses, sodium nitroprusside significantly increased stroke volume index (+6.63 ml/m(2), p=0.

Hemodynamic effects of alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, doxazosin, in patients with chronic congestive heart failure.

Purpose: Non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists have not demonstrated significant beneficial effects in chronic heart failure. Previous studies with the selective alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, doxazosin, led to conflicting results. We assessed the hypothesis that treatment with doxazosin adjuvant to standard oral therapy results in significant increase in cardiac index in patients with chronic heart failure.

Long-term results after partial left ventriculectomy.

Background: Long-term clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic effects after partial left ventriculectomy (PLV) and predictors of outcome have been determined.

Methods: Between January 1995 and July 1999, PLV was performed in 39 patients. In 15 patients the etiology of heart failure was idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP), 19 patients had ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP) and five patients had valvular cardiomyopathy.

Apical tissue tracking echocardiography for characterization of regional left ventricular function: comparison with magnetic resonance imaging in patients after myocardial infarction.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize the normal pattern of apical tracking and to investigate whether tissue tracking imaging is more useful for evaluation of regional left-ventricular function than noncontrast harmonic echocardiography in patients after myocardial infarction.

Background: Left ventricular longitudinal shortening plays an important role in cardiac contraction, and can be evaluated online by a new Doppler tissue imaging method.

Methods: We included 40 healthy participants and 40 patients after myocardial infarction.

Does contrast echocardiography with Optison induce myocardial necrosis in humans?

Myocardial contrast echocardiography is a promising diagnostic tool for detecting microvascular integrity. Multiple experimental laboratories have shown that diagnostic combined microbubble contrast and ultrasound exposure can cause vessel rupture and myocardial damage in laboratory animals. This study investigated the phenomenon of contrast ultrasonically induced myocardial damage in human beings.

Myocardial contrast echocardiography for predicting functional recovery after acute myocardial infarction.

Unlabelled: Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) is a promising diagnostic tool for detecting microvascular integrity. The aim of the study was to investigate the comparative specificity and sensitivity of intravenous MCE, technetium-99m Sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and dipyridamole-dobutamine (DIDO) stress echocardiography for predicting functional recovery after coronary revascularization in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: In a prospective, observational study, 17 consecutive patients short after AMI who received successful treatment with primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) plus stent-implantation were examined with DIDO (dipyridamole with 0.