Artificial intelligence-enhanced automation of left ventricular diastolic assessment: a pilot study for feasibility, diagnostic validation, and outcome prediction.

Background: Evaluating left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF) is crucial in echocardiography; however, the complexity and time demands of current guidelines challenge clinical use. This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based framework for automatic LVDF assessment to reduce subjectivity and improve accuracy and outcome prediction.

Methods: We developed an AI-based LVDF assessment framework using a nationwide echocardiographic dataset from five tertiary hospitals.

Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification Using Chest X-ray Radiographs and Machine Learning: The Role of the Radiomics Score.

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of radiomics score (RS)-based machine learning to identify moderate to severe coronary artery calcium (CAC) on chest x-ray radiographs (CXR).

Materials And Methods: We included 559 patients who underwent a CAC scan with CXR obtained within 6 months and divided them into training (n = 391) and validation (n = 168) cohorts. We extracted radiomic features from annotated cardiac contours in the CXR images and developed an RS through feature selection with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression in the training cohort.

Impact of hypertriglyceridaemia on cardiovascular mortality according to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a 15.6-million population.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the association between triglyceride (TG) levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality concerning low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and age in the general population.

Methods And Results: From the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, 15 672 028 participants aged 18-99 who underwent routine health examinations were followed up for CVD mortality. Hazard ratios for CVD mortality were calculated using Cox models after adjusting for various confounders.

Relation of Gender to Atherosclerotic Plaque Characteristics by Differing Angiographic Stenosis Severity.

It is unknown whether gender influences the atherosclerotic plaque characteristics (APCs) of lesions of varying angiographic stenosis severity. This study evaluated the imaging data of 303 symptomatic patients from the derivation arm of the CREDENCE (Computed TomogRaphic Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Determinants of Myocardial IsChEmia) trial, all of whom underwent coronary computed tomographic angiography and clinically indicated nonemergent invasive coronary angiography upon study enrollment. Index tests were interpreted by 2 blinded core laboratories, one of which performed quantitative coronary computed tomographic angiography using an artificial intelligence application to characterize and quantify APCs, including percent atheroma volume (PAV), low-density noncalcified plaque (LD-NCP), noncalcified plaque (NCP), calcified plaque (CP), lesion length, positive arterial remodeling, and high-risk plaque (a combination of LD-NCP and positive remodeling ≥1.

Atherosclerosis Imaging Quantitative Computed Tomography (AI-QCT) to guide referral to invasive coronary angiography in the randomized controlled CONSERVE trial.

Aims: We compared diagnostic performance, costs, and association with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) of clinical coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) interpretation versus semiautomated approach that use artificial intelligence and machine learning for atherosclerosis imaging-quantitative computed tomography (AI-QCT) for patients being referred for nonemergent invasive coronary angiography (ICA).

Methods: CCTA data from individuals enrolled into the randomized controlled Computed Tomographic Angiography for Selective Cardiac Catheterization trial for an American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guideline indication for ICA were analyzed. Site interpretation of CCTAs were compared to those analyzed by a cloud-based software (Cleerly, Inc.

Diabetes, Atherosclerosis, and Stenosis by AI.

Objective: This study evaluates the relationship between atherosclerotic plaque characteristics (APCs) and angiographic stenosis severity in patients with and without diabetes. Whether APCs differ based on lesion severity and diabetes status is unknown.

Research Design And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 303 subjects from the Computed TomogRaphic Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Determinants of Myocardial IsChEmia (CREDENCE) trial referred for invasive coronary angiography with coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) and classified lesions as obstructive (≥50% stenosed) or nonobstructive using blinded core laboratory analysis of quantitative coronary angiography.

Longitudinal Quantitative Assessment of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque Burden Related to Serum Hemoglobin Levels.

Background: Despite a potential role of hemoglobin in atherosclerosis, data on coronary plaque volume changes (PVC) related to serum hemoglobin levels are limited.

Objectives: The authors sought to evaluate coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden changes related to serum hemoglobin levels using serial coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA).

Methods: A total of 830 subjects (age 61 ± 10 years, 51.

Best cutoff score of cervical-pedicle thickness as a morphological parameter for predicting cervical central stenosis.

There are various factors for the cause of cervical central stenosis (CCS), such as osteophyte, cervical-disc degeneration, and cervical ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. However, the pedicle of the cervical vertebra has not yet been analyzed for its relationship with CCS. We created a new morphologic parameter called the cervical-pedicle thickness (CPT) to assess the association between CCS and the cervical pedicle.

Longitudinal quantitative assessment of coronary atherosclerosis related to normal systolic blood pressure maintenance in the absence of established cardiovascular disease.

Background: Atherosclerosis-related adverse events are commonly observed even in conditions with low cardiovascular (CV) risk. Longitudinal data regarding the association of normal systolic blood pressure maintenance (SBP ) with coronary plaque volume changes (PVC) has been limited in adults without traditional CV disease.

Hypothesis: Normal SBP is important to attenuate coronary atherosclerosis progression in adults without baseline CV disease.

Coronary CTA With AI-QCT Interpretation: Comparison With Myocardial Perfusion Imaging for Detection of Obstructive Stenosis Using Invasive Angiography as Reference Standard.

Deep learning frameworks have been applied to interpretation of coronary CTA performed for coronary artery disease (CAD) evaluation. The purpose of our study was to compare the diagnostic performance of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and coronary CTA with artificial intelligence quantitative CT (AI-QCT) interpretation for detection of obstructive CAD on invasive angiography and to assess the downstream impact of including coronary CTA with AI-QCT in diagnostic algorithms. This study entailed a retrospective post hoc analysis of the derivation cohort of the prospective 23-center Computed Tomographic Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Determinants of Myocardial Ischemia (CREDENCE) trial.

Association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiovascular mortality in statin non-users: a prospective cohort study in 14.9 million Korean adults.

Background: Limited information is available on detailed sex/age-specific associations between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and 'the optimal range' associated with the lowest CVD mortality in the general population.

Methods: Korean adults (N = 14 884 975) who received routine health screenings during 2009-2010 were followed until 2018 for CVD mortality.

Results: During 8.

AI Evaluation of Stenosis on Coronary CTA, Comparison With Quantitative Coronary Angiography and Fractional Flow Reserve: A CREDENCE Trial Substudy.

Background: Clinical reads of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), especially by less experienced readers, may result in overestimation of coronary artery disease stenosis severity compared with expert interpretation. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions applied to coronary CTA may overcome these limitations.

Objectives: This study compared the performance for detection and grading of coronary stenoses using artificial intelligence-enabled quantitative coronary computed tomography (AI-QCT) angiography analyses to core lab-interpreted coronary CTA, core lab quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), and invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR).

Fully automated quantification of cardiac chamber and function assessment in 2-D echocardiography: clinical feasibility of deep learning-based algorithms.

We aimed to compare the segmentation performance of the current prominent deep learning (DL) algorithms with ground-truth segmentations and to validate the reproducibility of the manually created 2D echocardiographic four cardiac chamber ground-truth annotation. Recently emerged DL based fully-automated chamber segmentation and function assessment methods have shown great potential for future application in aiding image acquisition, quantification, and suggestion for diagnosis. However, the performance of current DL algorithms have not previously been compared with each other.

Relationship of age, atherosclerosis and angiographic stenosis using artificial intelligence.

Objective: The study evaluates the relationship of coronary stenosis, atherosclerotic plaque characteristics (APCs) and age using artificial intelligence enabled quantitative coronary computed tomographic angiography (AI-QCT).

Methods: This is a post-hoc analysis of data from 303 subjects enrolled in the CREDENCE (Computed TomogRaphic Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Determinants of Myocardial IsChEmia) trial who were referred for invasive coronary angiography and subsequently underwent coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA). In this study, a blinded core laboratory analysing quantitative coronary angiography images classified lesions as obstructive (≥50%) or non-obstructive (<50%) while AI software quantified APCs including plaque volume (PV), low-density non-calcified plaque (LD-NCP), non-calcified plaque (NCP), calcified plaque (CP), lesion length on a per-patient and per-lesion basis based on CCTA imaging.

Atherogenic index of plasma and the risk of rapid progression of coronary atherosclerosis beyond traditional risk factors.

Background And Aims: The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) has been suggested as a marker of plasma atherogenicity. This study aimed to assess the association between AIP and the rapid progression of coronary atherosclerosis using serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

Methods: A total of 1488 adults (60.

Assessment of Image Quality for Selective Intracoronary Contrast-Injected CT Angiography in a Hybrid Angio-CT System: A Feasibility Study in Swine.

Purpose: To compare image quality in selective intracoronary contrast-injected computed tomography angiography (Selective-CTA) with that in conventional intravenous contrast-injected CTA (IV-CTA).

Materials And Methods: Six pigs (35 to 40 kg) underwent both IV-CTA using an intravenous injection (60 mL) and Selective-CTA using an intracoronary injection (20 mL) through a guide-wire during/after percutaneous coronary intervention. Images of the common coronary artery were acquired.

Atherogenic index of plasma and the risk of advanced subclinical coronary artery disease beyond traditional risk factors: An observational cohort study.

Background: Atherogenic lipoprotein profile of plasma is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) has been suggested as a novel marker for atherosclerosis.

Hypothesis: AIP is a useful marker of advanced subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) in subjects without overt renal dysfunction.

Age- and sex-related features of atherosclerosis from coronary computed tomography angiography in patients prior to acute coronary syndrome: results from the ICONIC study.

Aims: Although there is increasing evidence supporting coronary atherosclerosis evaluation by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), no data are available on age and sex differences for quantitative plaque features. The aim of this study was to investigate sex and age differences in both qualitative and quantitative atherosclerotic features from CCTA prior to acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods And Results: Within the ICONIC study, in which 234 patients with subsequent ACS were propensity matched 1:1 with 234 non-event controls, our current subanalysis included only the ACS cases.