Petamenophis (Padiamenemipet), an Egyptian Child Mummy Protected for Eternity: Revelation by Multidetector Computed Tomography.

Objective: The objective of our work was to report the most recent findings obtained with multidetector computed tomography of a child mummy from the Roman period (119-123 CE) housed at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy.

Methods: Multidetector computed tomography and postprocessing were applied to understand the embalming techniques, the nature of a foreign object, and anthropometrical values. The information was compared with that from other mummies that were buried in the same tomb, but today housed in different museums.

Rest perfusion abnormalities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: correlation with myocardial fibrosis and risk factors for sudden cardiac death.

Aim: To measure the prevalence of abnormal rest perfusion in a population of consecutive patients with known hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) referred for cardiovascular MRI (CMR), and to assess any associations between abnormal rest perfusion and the presence, pattern, and severity of myocardial scar and the presence of risk factors for sudden death.

Materials And Methods: Eighty consecutive patients with known HCM referred for CMR underwent functional imaging, rest first-pass perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).

Results: Thirty percent of the patients had abnormal rest perfusion, all of them corresponding to areas of mid-myocardial LGE and to a higher degree of segmental hypertrophy.

Pulmonary vein isolation with a new multipolar irrigated radiofrequency ablation catheter (nMARQ™): feasibility, acute and short-term efficacy, safety, and impact on postablation silent cerebral ischemia.

Background: Simultaneous multipolar ablation catheters have been proposed to simplify pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Recently, a new multipolar irrigated radiofrequency (RF) ablation catheter (nMARQ™, Biosense Webster Inc., Diamond Bar, CA, USA) combining both 3-dimensional electroanatomic mapping and multipolar open-irrigated ablation capability has been developed.

Does periprocedural anticoagulation management of atrial fibrillation affect the prevalence of silent thromboembolic lesion detected by diffusion cerebral magnetic resonance imaging in patients undergoing radiofrequency atrial fibrillation ablation with open irrigated catheters? Results from a prospective multicenter study.

Background: Silent cerebral ischemia (SCI) has been reported in 14% of cases after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) with radiofrequency (RF) energy and discontinuation of warfarin before AF ablation procedures.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether periprocedural anticoagulation management affects the incidence of SCI after RF ablation using an open irrigated catheter.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing RF ablation for AF without warfarin discontinuation and receiving heparin bolus before transseptal catheterization (group I, n = 146) were compared with a group of patients who had protocol deviation in terms of maintaining the therapeutic preprocedural international normalized ratio (patients with subtherapeutic INR) and/or failure to receive pretransseptal heparin bolus infusion and/or ≥2 consecutive ACT measurements <300 seconds (noncompliant population, group II, n = 134) and with a group of patients undergoing RF ablation with warfarin discontinuation bridged with low molecular weight heparin (group III, n = 148).

Illustrated Atlas of Post-AF Ablation Cerebral Abnormalities.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias and relates to high morbidity and mortality due to thromboembolic events, especially ischemic stroke. During the last 15 years, transcatheter ablation has emerged as an effective therapeutic option to treat AF but carries a risk of possible complications. The occurrence of cerebrovascular accidents, both symptomatic and silent, is one of the most frequent and severe.

Left atrial appendage morphology and silent cerebral ischemia in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) is the major source of cardiac thrombi in atrial fibrillation (AF) and plays a major role in cardioembolic events.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between LAA morphology and the burden of silent cerebral ischemia (SCI) as a new thromboembolic risk marker in patients with AF.

Methods: A total of 348 patients with AF undergoing transcatheter ablation were enrolled.

Silent Cerebral Embolism during Atrial Fibrillation Ablation:Pathophysiology, Prevention and Management.

Although many efforts have been directed to improve atrial fibrillation transcatheter ablation safety, thromboembolism to the brain remains one of the major complications. In fact several studies have confirmed occurrence of silent cerebral embolic lesions by post-procedure magnetic resonance imaging. The present review will focus on the possible mechanisms leading to silent cerebral embolism in an attempt to provide recommendations holding the potential to reduce the incidence of this clinically relevant complication.

Prevalence of silent cerebral ischemia in paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation and correlation with cognitive function.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of silent cerebral ischemia (SCI) and cognitive performance in patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and controls in sinus rhythm.

Background: Large registries have reported a similar risk for symptomatic stroke in both paroxysmal and persistent AF. The relationship among paroxysmal and persistent AF, SCI, and cognitive impairment has remained uncharted.

Does the left atrial appendage morphology correlate with the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation? Results from a multicenter study.

Objectives: This study investigated the left atrial appendage (LAA) by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to categorize different LAA morphologies and to correlate the morphology with the history of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Background: LAA represents one of the major sources of cardiac thrombus formation responsible for TIA/stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: We studied 932 patients with drug-refractory AF who were planning to undergo catheter ablation.

Impact of ablation catheter irrigation design on silent cerebral embolism after radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: results from a pilot study.

Introduction: Silent cerebral lesions (SCL) are a sensitive tool to evaluate thromboembolic risk of catheter ablation. Recent data showed the possibility to reduce thrombus formation when the electrode-tissue interface cooling is optimized by a homogeneous flushing of saline along the entire surface of the distal electrode through a larger number of irrigation holes. The study aim is to compare procedural parameters and safety of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) performed by using open-irrigated catheters with different irrigation design.

Primary synovial sarcoma of the kidney. A case report with pathologic appraisal investigation and literature review.

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a soft tissue neoplasm with clearly defined histologic, immunohistochemical and molecular features that usually arises in the extremities of young adults. The occurrence of these tumors in the kidney is extremely rare and have been prevalently described in case reports. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the frequency of primary renal synovial sarcomas and the pathologic progression in recognition of this possibly under-diagnosed entity.

Delaying cardioversion following 4-week anticoagulation in case of persistent atrial fibrillation after a transcatheter ablation procedure to reduce silent cerebral thromboembolism: a single-center pilot study.

Background: Symptomatic cerebral thromboembolism occurs in 0.4% of transcatheter atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. Silent cerebral events, instead, have recently been reported in up to 14%, especially clustered within patients undergoing cardioversion at the end of the procedure.

Late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance and phenotypic expression in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) can identify areas of myocardial fibrosis in vivo in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The aim of this study was to examine the association between clinical-morphological variables, risk factor for sudden death, and LGE findings in a consecutive, unselected population of HCM patients.

Methods: From January 2005 to August 2009, 124 HCM patients (53 ± 17 years, 86 men) were prospectively evaluated with CMR examination, assessing left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, function, and LGE.

Incidence of silent cerebral thromboembolic lesions after atrial fibrillation ablation may change according to technology used: comparison of irrigated radiofrequency, multipolar nonirrigated catheter and cryoballoon.

Introduction: Silent cerebral ischemic lesions have recently emerged as the most frequent complications after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). To reduce thromboembolic complications, new types of catheters and energy source have been introduced in clinical practice. The study purpose is to compare the incidence of new silent cerebral ischemic events in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) undergoing PVI with different ablation technologies.

Pulmonary veins branching pattern, assessed by magnetic resonance, does not affect transcatheter atrial fibrillation ablation outcome.

Aim: The aim of the present study is to provide, in a large cohort of patients, a description of the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary veins (PV) anatomy in relation to ablation outcome.

Background: The role of LA imaging, assessed before transcatheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), is unknown.

Methods: 330 patients referred for transcatheter ablation of AF (paroxysmal 62.

Dosimetric and image quality comparison of two digital mammography units with different target/filter combinations: Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh, W/Rh, W/Ag.

Purpose: Our aim was to allocate a digital mammography unit to the screening programme on the basis of the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) radiation protection principle.

Materials And Methods: Two Hologic Selenia mammography units were studied: one with a molybdenum anode and the other with a tungsten anode. After optimisation of the image production chain, we evaluated doses in a phantom under standard conditions.

Performance assessment of four 64-slice computed tomographic devices for a typical clinical protocol.

Objective: To compare the performances of four 64-slice CT devices, as regards radiation dose and image quality.

Methods: Effective dose was measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters in an Alderson Rando phantom (Alderson Research Laboratories, New York, NY). Quantitative image quality was evaluated in a Catphan 600 phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, New York, NY) using 3 parameters (modulation transfer function, contrast-to-noise ratio, and figure of merit).

Multidetector CT of an antillean zemi idol.

Volumetric multidetector computed tomography (CT) was performed on an anthropomorphic cotton zemi idol from the Taino culture, which flourished in the Antilles between the 13th and 15th centuries ad. The zemi belongs to the permanent collection of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography at the University of Torino in Italy. According to some researchers of Taino culture, this is the only known cotton figure functioning as a reliquary that contains a partially preserved human skull.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: a cause of silent thromboembolism? Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of cerebral thromboembolism in patients undergoing ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Radiofrequency left atrial catheter ablation has become a routine procedure for treatment of atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study was to assess with preprocedural and postprocedural cerebral magnetic resonance imaging the thromboembolic risk, either silent or clinically manifest, in the context of atrial fibrillation ablation. The secondary end point was the identification of clinical or procedural parameters that correlate with cerebral embolism.

Morphologic analysis of left atrial anatomy by magnetic resonance angiography in patients with atrial fibrillation: a large single center experience.

Unlabelled: LA and PV Anatomy in Patients With AF.

Introduction: Although transcatheter atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation requires accurate anatomic knowledge, pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy has not been fully investigated. Aim of this study is to describe left atrium (LA) and PV anatomy by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in a large cohort of patients with AF.

Left atrial volume at MRI is the main determinant of outcome after pulmonary vein isolation plus linear lesion ablation for paroxysmal-persistent atrial fibrillation.

Aims: To assess retrospectively clinical and procedural predictors of long-term recurrences after atrial fibrillation ablation.

Methods: Two hundred and forty consecutive patients (201 men; mean age 60 +/- 10 years) undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) plus linear lesion ablation for antiarrhythmic drug-refractory atrial fibrillation between 2005 and 2007 were studied. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left atrium was performed in all the patients.

Scenes from the past: multidetector CT study of gallbladder stones in a wrapped Egyptian mummy.

A whole-body examination was performed with multidetector computed tomography (CT) of a completely wrapped Egyptian mummy from the collection at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy. The mummy dates from the Eighteenth Dynasty. Although embalmment of the deceased man should have included evisceration in accordance with his social rank, no canopic jars containing internal organs had been found at the discovery of his tomb, and at CT, all the organs were found to have desiccated inside the body.

Neural tube defect in a 4000-year-old Egyptian infant mummy: a case of meningocele from the museum of anthropology and ethnography of Turin (Italy).

This paper reports a paleopathological study of a severe neural tube defect in an ancient mummy, more specifically, a meningocele in an Egyptian infant from the XI dynasty (2100-1955B.C.).

Native whole-heart coronary imaging for the identification of anomalous origin of the coronary arteries.

Congenital abnormalities of the coronary arteries are an uncommon cause of chest pain and in some cases may cause sudden cardiac death. We examined with magnetic resonance (MR) a 52 year-old woman presenting with effort angina, and positive treadmill stress test. Whole-heart coronary imaging performed without paramagnetic contrast agents revealed an anomalous origin of a single coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva.