Highly accelerated free-breathing real-time 2D flow imaging using compressed sensing and shared velocity encoding.

Objectives: 2D real-time (RT) phase-contrast (PC) MRI is a promising alternative to conventional PC MRI, which overcomes problems due to irregular heartbeats or poor respiratory control. This study aims to evaluate a prototype compressed sensing (CS)-accelerated 2D RT-PC MRI technique with shared velocity encoding (SVE) for accurate beat-to-beat flow measurements.

Methods: The CS RT-PC technique was implemented using a single-shot fast RF-spoiled gradient echo with SVE by symmetric velocity encoding, and acquired with a temporal resolution of 51-56.

Does Mental Distress Predict Cardiac Surgical Outcome?

Background:  Mental distress is suspected to influence the morbidity of cardiac patients. Evaluating mental distress in cardiac patients is rare and the impact on surgical outcome is still not certified.

Methods:  In 94 cardiac surgical patients, mental distress was assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4).

Feasibility of Coronary CT Angiography-derived Left Ventricular Long-Axis Shortening as an Early Marker of Ventricular Dysfunction in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Purpose: To evaluate the value of using left ventricular (LV) long-axis shortening (LAS) derived from coronary CT angiography (CCTA) to predict mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Materials And Methods: Patients with severe AS who underwent CCTA for preprocedural TAVR planning between September 2014 and December 2019 were included in this retrospective study. CCTA covered the whole cardiac cycle in 10% increments.

Role of CTA Surveillance for Management of Endovascular Repair of Aortic Dissection.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of timing for post-interventional CT imaging on the rate of re-intervention and all-cause mortality in patients with endovascular treatment of type B aortic dissections (TBAD).

Material And Methods: Data on 70 patients with endovascular repair of aortic dissection during a three-year period from a single institution retrospectively were collected. Study participants were stratified based on those who had a postoperative CTA in the first 30 days after index intervention (early) vs.

Computed tomographic assessment of right ventricular long axis strain for prognosis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Objectives: To investigate the predictive value of right ventricular long axis strain (RV-LAS) derived by cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for mortality in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods: We retrospectively included patients with severe AS undergoing TAVR (n = 168, median 79 years). Parameters of RV function including RV-LAS and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) were assessed using pre-procedural systolic and diastolic CCTA series.

The impact of gender bias in cardiothoracic surgery in Europe: a European Society of Thoracic Surgeons and European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery survey.

Objectives: The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery designed a questionnaire to assess the impact of gender bias on a cardiothoracic surgery career.

Methods: A 46-item survey investigating gender bias was designed using online survey software from December 2020 to January 2021. All European Society of Thoracic Surgeons and European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery members and non-members included in the mailing lists were invited to complete an electronic survey.

Utility of Functional and Volumetric Left Atrial Parameters Derived From Preprocedural Cardiac CTA in Predicting Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Cardiac CTA is required for preprocedural workup before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and can be used to assess functional parameters of the left atrium (LA). We aimed to evaluate the utility of functional and volumetric LA parameters derived from cardiac CTA to predict mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing TAVR. This retrospective study included 175 patients with severe AS (92 men, 83 women; median age, 79.

Short- and long-term outcomes for the surgical treatment of acute pulmonary embolism.

Objectives: Acute pulmonary embolism can be a life-threatening condition with a high mortality. The treatment choice is a matter of debate. The early and late outcomes of patients treated with surgical pulmonary embolectomy for acute pulmonary embolism in a single center were analyzed.

Multidetector Computed Tomography Angiography (MD-CTA) of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts - Update 2017.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is still an important therapeutic approach in the treatment especially of advanced coronary artery disease. In this study, we elucidate the current role of multidetector computed tomography angiography (MD-CTA) in imaging patients after CABG surgery.

Method: This study is based on recent reports in the literature (2007 - 2016) on imaging of CABG using 64-slice MD-CT scanners and beyond.

Septic cardiomyopathy: evidence for a reduced force-generating capacity of human atrial myocardium in acute infective endocarditis.

Background: This study analyzes the myocardial force-generating capacity in infective endocarditis (IE) using an experimental model of isolated human atrial myocardium. , it is difficult to decide whether or not alterations in myocardial contractile behavior are due to secondary effects associated with infection such as an altered heart rate, alterations of preload and afterload resulting from valvular defects, and altered humoral processes. Our model using isolated human myocardium, in contrast, guarantees exactly defined experimental conditions with respect to preload, afterload, and contraction frequency, thus not only preventing confounding by determinants of contractility but also excluding effects of other factors associated with sepsis, hemodynamics, humoral influences, temperature, and medical treatment.