Large Variations in Phenylalanine Concentrations Associate Adverse Cardiac Remodelling in Adult Patients With Phenylketonuria-A Long-Term CMR Study.

Background: Despite a phenylalanine (Phe) restrictive diet, most adult patients with 'classical' phenylketonuria (PKU) maintain life-long Phe concentrations above the normal range and receive tyrosine (Tyr) and protein-enriched diets to maintain acceptable concentrations and ensure normal development. While these interventions are highly successful in preventing adverse neuropsychiatric complications, their long- term consequences are incompletely explored. We observed early cardiomyopathic characteristics and associated hemodynamic changes in adult PKU patients and present here the results of a longitudinal evaluation of cardiac phenotype.

Quantification of myocardial extracellular volume without blood sampling.

Aims: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) 1 relaxation time mapping is an established technique primarily used to identify diffuse interstitial fibrosis and oedema. The myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) can be calculated from pre- and post-contrast 1 relaxation times and is a reproducible parametric index of the proportion of volume occupied by non-cardiomyocyte components in myocardial tissue. The conventional calculation of the ECV requires blood sampling to measure the haematocrit (HCT).

Virtual cardiovascular magnetic resonance training proves feasible and effective: survey data from international participants of the CMR Academy Berlin, Germany.

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the success of the cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging Academy Berlin's transition from in-person to online CMR imaging training during the global pandemic 2020 and to gather recommendations for future courses.

Methods And Results: We conducted an online survey targeting CMR course participants from both the pre-pandemic, in-person era and the pandemic, online era of the CMR Academy Berlin. The survey primarily used Likert-type questions to assess participants' experiences and preferences.

Reduced dynamic changes in pulmonary artery compliance during isometric handgrip exercise in patients with heart failure.

Exercise intolerance is a debilitating symptom in heart failure (HF), adversely affecting both quality of life and long-term prognosis. Emerging evidence suggests that pulmonary artery (PA) compliance may be a contributing factor. This study aims to non-invasively assess PA compliance and its dynamic properties during isometric handgrip (HG) exercise in HF patients and healthy controls, using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Simultaneous assessment of vascular distensibility and vessel wall area at coronary, carotid, and aortic level in diabetic patients using CMR: detection of vascular remodeling.

Aims: No data is available about the significance of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) derived vascular distensibility (VD) and vessel wall ratio (VWR) for risk stratification in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of T2DM on VD and VWR using CMR in both central and peripheral territories.

Methods: Thirty-one T2DM-patients and nine controls underwent CMR.

Reduced functional capacity is associated with the proportion of impaired myocardial deformation assessed in heart failure patients by CMR.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) does not only reduce the life expectancy in patients, but their life is also often limited by HF symptoms leading to a reduced quality of life (QoL) and a diminished exercise capacity. Novel parameters in cardiac imaging, including both global and regional myocardial strain imaging, promise to contribute to better patient characterization and ultimately to better patient management. However, many of these methods are not part of clinical routine yet, their associations with clinical parameters have been poorly studied.

CMR detects decreased myocardial deformation in asymptomatic patients at risk for heart failure.

Aims: The main management strategy of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is prevention since HFpEF is associated with many cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, especially since HFpEF is linked to a high risk for both mortality and recurrent heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. Therefore, there is a need for new tools to identify patients with a high risk profile early. Regional strain assessment by CMR seems to be superior in describing deformation impairment in HF.

Brief Research Report: Quantitative Analysis of Potential Coronary Microvascular Disease in Suspected Long-COVID Syndrome.

Background: Case series have reported persistent cardiopulmonary symptoms, often termed long-COVID or post-COVID syndrome, in more than half of patients recovering from Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19). Recently, alterations in microvascular perfusion have been proposed as a possible pathomechanism in long-COVID syndrome. We examined whether microvascular perfusion, measured by quantitative stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), is impaired in patients with persistent cardiac symptoms post-COVID-19.

Case Series of Potential Cardiac Inflammation Associated With Various SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations Assessed by Cardiac MRI.

Serious adverse events associated with new vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 are of high interest to the public and to public health as a worldwide mass immunization campaign has been initiated to contain the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We describe a series of 4 individuals with signs of a myocarditis/pericarditis according to cardiac MRI results in temporal association with currently in the European Union authorized SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We found mild abnormal MRI results independent of the type of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

Synthetic Extracellular Volume in Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Without Blood Sampling: a Reliable Tool to Replace Conventional Extracellular Volume.

Background: The calculation of extracellular volume (ECV) in cardiac magnetic resonance requires hematocrit, limiting its applicability in clinical practice. Based on the linear relationship between hematocrit and blood T1 relaxivity, a synthetic ECV could be estimated without a blood sample. We aim to develop and test regression models for synthetic ECV without blood sampling in 1.

COVID-19 vs. Classical Myocarditis Associated Myocardial Injury Evaluated by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance and Endomyocardial Biopsy.

Despite the ongoing global pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac structure and function is still not completely understood. Myocarditis is a rare but potentially serious complication of other viral infections with variable recovery, and is, in some cases, associated with long-term cardiac remodeling and functional impairment. To assess myocardial injury in patients who recently recovered from an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection with advanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and endomyocardial biopsy (EMB).

Long-term prognostic value of vasodilator stress cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Although the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) is high among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), studies on stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging frequently exclude patients with AF, and its prognostic and diagnostic value in high-risk patients with suspected or known CAD remains unclear.

Methods And Results: In this longitudinal cohort study, we included 164 consecutive patients with AF during vasodilator perfusion CMR. Diagnostic value was evaluated regarding invasive coronary angiography in a subset of patients.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Reveals Incipient Cardiomyopathy Traits in Adult Patients With Phenylketonuria.

Background Phenylketonuria is the most common inborn error of amino acid metabolism, where oxidative stress and collateral metabolic abnormalities are likely to cause cardiac structural and functional modifications. We aim herein to characterize the cardiac phenotype of adult subjects with phenylketonuria using advanced cardiac imaging. Methods and Results Thirty-nine adult patients with phenylketonuria (age, 30.

Late onset apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a case report.

Background: Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy provides diagnostic challenges through varying presentation, impaired visualization on echocardiography and dissent on diagnostic criteria. While hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in general requires an absolute wall thickness ≥15 mm, a threshold for relative apical hypertrophy (ratio 1.5) has been proposed.

Myocardial deformation assessed among heart failure entities by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Aims: Although heart failure (HF) is a leading cause for hospitalization and mortality, normalized and comparable non-invasive assessment of haemodynamics and myocardial action remains limited. Moreover, myocardial deformation has not been compared between the guideline-defined HF entities. The distribution of affected and impaired segments within the contracting left ventricular (LV) myocardium have also not been compared.

Cardiac Myxomas Show Elevated Native T1, T2 Relaxation Time and ECV on Parametric CMR.

While cardiac tumors are rare, their identification and differentiation has wide clinical implications. Recent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) parametric mapping techniques allow for quantitative tissue characterization. Our aim was to examine the range of values encountered in cardiac myxomas in correlation to histological measurements.