Computed tomography coronary angiography for patients with heart failure (CTA-HF): a randomized controlled trial (IMAGE-HF 1C).

Aims: This randomized controlled trial sought to determine the financial impact of an initial diagnostic strategy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with heart failure (HF) of unknown aetiology. Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is used to investigate HF patients. CCTA may be a non-invasive cost-effective alternative to ICA.

Peak CK-MB has a strong association with chronic scar size and wall motion abnormalities after revascularized non-transmural myocardial infarction - a prospective CMR study.

Background: Large myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling (LVR). We studied the nature of LVR, with specific attention to non-transmural MIs, and the association of peak CK-MB with recovery and chronic phase scar size and LVR.

Methods: Altogether 41 patients underwent prospectively repeated cardiovascular magnetic resonance at a median of 22 (interquartile range 9-29) days and 10 (8-16) months after the first revascularized MI.

Even mild reversible myocardial perfusion defects predict mortality in patients evaluated for kidney transplantation.

Aims: The value of single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) in patients with severe chronic kidney disease is controversial, and the implications of SPECT finding with lower level of ischaemia are unknown. We assessed the prognostic value of SPECT in patients evaluated for kidney transplantation.

Methods And Results: Five hundred and forty-eight patients underwent SPECT as a part of routine evaluation for kidney transplantation.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Predictor of Survival Free of Life-Threatening Arrhythmias and Transplantation in Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging has a key role in today's diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis. We set out to investigate whether cardiac magnetic resonance imaging also helps predict outcome in cardiac sarcoidosis.

Methods And Results: Our work involved 59 patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (38 female, mean age 46±10 years) seen at our hospital since February 2004 and followed up after contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance findings in patients with PRKAG2 gene mutations.

Background: Autosomal dominantly inherited PRKAG2 cardiac syndrome is due to a unique defect of the cardiac cell metabolism and has a distinctive histopathology with excess intracellular glycogen, and prognosis different from sarcomeric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We aimed to define the distinct characteristics of PRKAG2 using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Methods: CMR (1.

Life-threatening coronary disease is prevalent in patients with stenosing carotid artery disease.

Background: Atherosclerosis affects several vascular trees systemically and though surgical plaque removal diminishes the risk of stroke in patients with carotid stenosis, they still face a risk of other atherothrombotic complications like myocardial infarction and premature death.

Aims And/or Hypothesis: This study was designed to reveal the long-term risk of death and atherothrombotic events following carotid endarterectomy.

Methods: Eighty-nine previously (1997-2000) endarterectomized carotid patients (56-92 years) were followed up to 15·2 years.

[Magnetic resonance imaging of patients with cardiac pacemakers--a safe mode of operation].

Owing to potential serious safety risks, magnetic resonance imagings of patients having cardiac pacemakers have long been forbidden. Due to the increased demand, modes of operation have, however, been developed for safe imaging, taking the benefit-risk aspects into account. The mode of operation devised in collaboration between the HUCH Cardiology Outpatient Clinic and the radiology unit of the HUS Medical Imaging and Physiology makes safe magnetic resonance imagings possible without body area restrictions for all kinds of cardiac pacemaker patients.

Cardiac MRI in patients with cardiac pacemakers: practical methods for reducing susceptibility artifacts and optimizing image quality.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pacemaker patients has become available despite of previous contraindications. However, pacing systems containing ferromagnetic material may hamper the diagnostic quality of cardiac MR (CMR) images.

Purpose: To study methods for reducing susceptibility-based artifacts in CMR examinations of pacemaker patients.

Late gadolinium enhancement on CMR and sustained ventricular tachycardia predict severe cardiac inflammation.

Objective: Early diagnosis of severe inflammatory forms of non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), e.g. cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) or giant cell myocarditis (GCM), may enable unique treatment.

Assessment of myocardial infarct size with body surface potential mapping: validation against contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Assessment of myocardial infarct (MI) size is important for therapeutic and prognostic reasons. We used body surface potential mapping (BSPM) to evaluate whether single-lead electrocardiographic variables can assess MI size.

Methods: We performed BSPM with 120 leads covering the front and back chest (plus limb leads) on 57 patients at different phases of MI: acutely, during healing, and in the chronic phase.

Quantifying late gadolinium enhancement on CMR provides additional prognostic information in early risk-stratification of nonischemic cardiomyopathy: a cohort study.

Background: Suspected nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) is a common clinical setting with highly variable prognosis. Early noninvasive risk-stratification is important for justification of invasive examinations, specific treatment and patient surveillance. We studied the additional prognostic value of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and segmental wall motion abnormality (SWMA) extent on cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) compared to traditional risk factors in suspected NICM.

[When ultrasonic imaging is not enough--cardiac magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography?].

Ultrasonic imaging is the first-line method for imaging the structure of the heart. Cardiovascular computed tomography is rapidly complementing ultrasonic imaging and replacing invasive methods of examination in many problem settings. CMR is important in the monitoring of congenital heart defects and diagnosis of severe inflammatory cardiomyopathies.

MRI with cardiac pacing devices - safety in clinical practice.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to introduce a single centre "real life" experience of performing MRI examinations in clinical practice on patients with cardiac pacemaker systems. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate the safety of using a dedicated safety protocol for these patients.

Materials And Methods: We used a 1.

Computed tomographic coronary angiography for patients with heart failure (CTA-HF): a randomized controlled trial (IMAGE HF Project 1-C).

Background: The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is rising in industrialized and developing countries. Though invasive coronary angiography (ICA) remains the gold standard for anatomical assessment of coronary artery disease in HF patients, alternatives are being sought. Computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTA) has emerged as an accurate non-invasive diagnostic tool for coronary artery disease (CAD) and has been demonstrated to have prognostic value.

U wave features in body surface potential mapping in post-myocardial infarction patients.

Background: The data on U wave features in post-myocardial infarction (MI) remain sparse. We employed 120-lead body surface potential mapping (BSPM) to explore the U wave in patients with remote MI.

Methods: Sixty post-MI patients and 46 healthy controls were examined.

Routine versus selective cardiac magnetic resonance in non-ischemic heart failure - OUTSMART-HF: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (IMAGE-HF (heart failure) project 1-B).

Background: Imaging has become a routine part of heart failure (HF) investigation. Echocardiography is a first-line test in HF given its availability and it provides valuable diagnostic and prognostic information. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an emerging clinical tool in the management of patients with non-ischemic heart failure.

Predicting recovery of myocardial function by electrocardiography after acute infarction.

Background: In acute ischemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, distinguishing viable myocardium is clinically important.

Methods: Body surface potential mapping (Electrocardiography [ECG] with 123 leads), was recorded in 62 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ECG variables were computed from de- and repolarization phases.

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return and atrial septal defect in adult patients detected with 128-slice multidetector computed tomography.

The present series describes a group of adults with left-to-right shunts including partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) and/or an atrial septal defect (ASD) evaluated with ECG-gated 128-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). PAPVR is defined as a left-to-right shunt where one or more, but not all, pulmonary veins drain into a systemic vein or the right atrium. PAPVR involving the right upper pulmonary vein can be associated with a sinus venosus ASD.

Tissue Doppler strain-mapping in the assessment of the extent of chronic myocardial infarction: validation using magnetic resonance imaging.

Aims: The distribution of myocardial strain values can be visualized by colour-coded strain images. We examined for the first time if this strain-mapping function can be used to study the extent of prior myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with delayed contrast enhancement were performed in 26 patients with chronic myocardial infarction.

Single-lead electrocardiographic variables in the detection of prior myocardial infarction with respect to Q-wave status and infarct age.

Objectives: Conventionally, the detection of prior myocardial infarction (MI) is based on QRS abnormalities, which may ignore non-Q-wave MI (NQMI). We aimed at finding automatically applicable quantitative ECG variables for diagnosing prior MI.

Methods: Body surface potential mapping (BSPM) was registered and automatically analyzed in 144 patients with prior MI and in 75 healthy controls.

Localization of prior myocardial infarction by repolarization variables.

Background: To find quantitative, automatically applicable electrocardiographic (ECG) variables for detecting prior myocardial infarction (MI) in different myocardial regions.

Methods: Observational study. Body surface potential mapping (BSPM) was recorded at rest, and automatically analyzed with regard to ECG parameters, blinded to the clinical characteristics of the study subjects, 144 patients with prior MI and 75 healthy controls.

Magnetocardiographic assessment of healed myocardial infarction.

Background: We evaluated the capability of multichannel magnetocardiography (MCG) to detect healed myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Multichannel MCG over frontal chest was recorded at rest in 21 patients with healed MI, detected by cine- and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and in 26 healthy controls. Of the 21 MI patients, 11 had non-Q wave and 10 Q wave MIs.

Noninvasive analysis of coronary artery disease with combination of MDCT and functional MRI.

Rationale And Objectives: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of an eight-row multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography (MDCT-CA) in detecting high-grade (>50%) stenoses in the three main coronary arteries in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Side branches were excluded. We correlated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the myocardium with MDCT-CA of the coronary arteries.

Spatial repolarization abnormalities in old myocardial infarction.

Conventional electrocardiogram criteria for myocardial infarction (MI) rely on QRS features, but ST-T segment is also affected. We recorded body surface potential mapping in 24 patients with prior MI and in 24 controls. T-wave maximum amplitude and QRS and ST-T integrals were automatically determined.

Temporal analysis of the depolarization wave of healed myocardial infarction in body surface potential mapping.

Background: We studied the ability of different time segments of the depolarization wave recorded with body surface potential mapping (BSPM) to detect and localize myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: BSPM was recorded in 24 patients with remote MI and in 24 healthy controls. Cine and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used as a reference method.