Geometry-independent inclusion of basal myocardium yields improved cardiac magnetic resonance agreement with echocardiography and necropsy quantified left-ventricular mass.

Objectives: Left-ventricular mass (LVM) is widely used to guide clinical decision-making. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) quantifies LVM by planimetry of contiguous short-axis images, an approach dependent on reader-selection of images to be contoured. Established methods have applied different binary cut-offs using circumferential extent of left-ventricular myocardium to define the basal left ventricle (LV), omitting images containing lesser fractions of left-ventricular myocardium.

Improved left ventricular mass quantification with partial voxel interpolation: in vivo and necropsy validation of a novel cardiac MRI segmentation algorithm.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) typically quantifies LV mass (LVM) by means of manual planimetry (MP), but this approach is time-consuming and does not account for partial voxel components--myocardium admixed with blood in a single voxel. Automated segmentation (AS) can account for partial voxels, but this has not been used for LVM quantification. This study used automated CMR segmentation to test the influence of partial voxels on quantification of LVM.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: infarct size is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) can accurately determine infarct size. Prior studies using indirect methods to assess infarct size have shown that patients with larger myocardial infarctions have a worse prognosis than those with smaller myocardial infarctions.

Objectives: This study assessed the prognostic significance of infarct size determined by CMR.

Left ventricular assist device placement in a patient with end-stage heart failure and human immunodeficiency virus.

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) insertion has been used more frequently within the recent years either as a bridge to transplant or as destination therapy in patients with advanced heart failure who fail medical therapy. We present a report of a 60-year-old male patient with end-stage heart failure and cardiomyopathy with a history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who underwent LVAD placement as destination therapy. To our knowledge, LVAD placement in this fashion has not been reported previously.

Cardiac magnetic resonance: physics, pulse sequences, and clinical applications.

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is a new and promising technique for image-based diagnosis in patients with known or suspected diseases of the heart. CMR allows clinicians to obtain relevant information on anatomy, function, perfusion, and viability of the myocardium. This technique offers the advantages of versatility, lack of ionizing radiation, and superior soft tissue contrast.