Sex-specific anatomical variation of circle of Willis arteries.

Background: Anatomical variations in the circle of Willis (CoW) arteries are common and can affect hemodynamic stress, thereby influencing the risk of cerebrovascular pathology. Previous studies have suggested sex differences in CoW anatomy, but findings vary due to limited study population size and different measurement methods. This study aims to investigate sex differences in artery diameters, anatomical variants and bifurcation angles of the CoW using a large population cohort and semi-automatic measurements.

Deep-learning-based extraction of circle of Willis topology with anatomical priors.

The circle of Willis (CoW) is a circular arrangement of arteries in the human brain, exhibiting significant anatomical variability. The CoW is extensively studied in relation to neurovascular pathologies, with certain anatomical variants previously linked to ischemic stroke and intracranial aneurysms. In an individual CoW, arteries might be absent (aplasia) or underdeveloped (hypoplasia, diameter < 1 mm).

Predictors of coronary atherosclerosis in middle-aged and older athletes: the MARC-2 study.

Aims: Exercise improves cardiovascular health, but high-volume high-intensity exercise is associated with increased coronary artery atherosclerosis and calcification (CAC). We aimed to identify predictors of CAC in athletes.

Methods And Results: We assessed the association of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors with CAC using linear and logistic regression.

Global, segmental, and layer-specific two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography immediately after acute myocardial infarction as a predictive tool to assess myocardial viability and scar size.

Aim: The identification of myocardial scar is key in clinical decision-making after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the gold standard that is cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) encounters limitations in terms of availability. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) may be an accessible alternative in detecting scar and assessing scar transmurality.