Echocardiographic Image Quality Deteriorates with Age in Children and Young Adults with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Background: Advances in medical care for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have resulted in improved survival and an increased prevalence of cardiomyopathy. Serial echocardiographic surveillance is recommended to detect early cardiac dysfunction and initiate medical therapy. Clinical anecdote suggests that echocardiographic quality diminishes over time, impeding accurate assessment of left ventricular systolic function.

Giant left atrial appendage aneurysm in a neonate.

Giant aneurysm of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is a rare condition typically presenting in adulthood. This case report describes the investigations and surgical management of a giant LAA aneurysm in a neonate, emphasizing the role of echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in preoperative evaluation as well as challenges in surgical repair of this defect.

Utility of digital photographs of the hand for assessing the presence of hand osteoarthritis.

Objectives: Nodal osteoarthritis of the hand (hand OA) is a subset of OA with a strong heritable component. Multiple genetic analyses of this condition have been performed and are underway. Highest yield from any genetic study depends upon a clear clinical phenotype for case definition.

What's new in cartilage?

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of articular cartilage is important in evaluation of new surgical and pharmacologic treatments for cartilage damage. Many techniques exist for MR imaging of articular cartilage. Standard techniques for morphologic imaging of cartilage include fast spin-echo and spoiled gradient-echo imaging.