Multimodality Imaging in Cardiomyopathies.

Cardiomyopathy, which is shortly defined as a disease of the myocardium, has a broad definition that includes many different diagnoses. Recent advances in cardiac imaging techniques, including basic and advanced echocardiography, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, and cardiac magnetic resonance, allow for a more accurate evaluation of volumes and thickness of cardiac chambers, systolic and diastolic function of the ventricules, and tissue structure. Multimodality imaging often provides the first clinical suspicion for specific etiologies, especially when the medical and family history is unclear, by identification of red flags of underlying systemic diseases.

Associations of non-HDL-C and triglyceride/HDL-C ratio with coronary plaque burden and plaque characteristics in young adults.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is uncommon in young adult patients. However, these patients have different risk factor profiles and high-risk coronary plaques are more common. The aim of this study was to examine the relations between the coronary plaque burden, plaque composition, serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels, and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio in young adults.

Evaluation of coronary flow with computed tomography derived FFR: Advantages and pitfalls.

Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is an excellent noninvasive, anatomic imaging modality for direct visualization of coronary arteries and for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD). CCTA has high sensitivity and high negative-predictive value for the identification of obstructive CAD; however, its specificity and positive-predictive value are low. After more than a decade of using CCTA to assess the anatomic severity of CAD, novel modalities of obtaining functional information from CCTA have been developed to increase its specificity and accuracy.

Evaluation of the morphological and clinical features of left anterior descending myocardial bridging with multi-detector computed tomography.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the incidence, localization, depth, length of myocardial bridging (MB) with left anterior descending (LAD), systolic compression ratio, atherosclerotic plaque localization and degree of stenosis by 256-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT).

Material And Methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans from a total of 3947 patients who underwent MDCT were reviewed retrospectively for LAD MB. A diastolic and systolic dataset with the best image quality was selected.

Thickness of carotid intima and epicardial fat in rosacea: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Rosacea is a chronic facial skin disease associated with excessive inflammatory response to various triggers. Although some studies have supported the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in rosacea, it has not been completely accepted.

Objective: We aimed to investigate epicardial fat thickness and carotid intima-media thickness as cardiovascular risk predictors in rosacea patients.

Improvement of dilated cardiomyopathy with methylprednisolone in a patient with multiple fibrosclerosis.

Multifocal fibrosclerosis is a rare syndrome of unknown cause that is characterized by fibrosis involving multiple organ systems. Definitive diagnosis can only be made based on biopsy findings. In this case, the biopsy specimen of the patient demonstrates pulmonary hyalinated granuloma or sclerosing mediastinitis.

Effect of statins on endothelial function in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a prospective study using adhesion molecules and flow-mediated dilatation.

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammatory mechanisms play a central role in the development, progression and outcome of atherosclerosis. Recent evidence suggests that statins improve anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and endothelial functions, along with their lipid-decreasing effects. We examined the effect of statins on endothelial function using biochemical markers of endothelial dysfunction and brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD).

A prospective study on the utility of diffusion-weighted and quantitative chemical-shift magnetic resonance imaging in the distinction of adrenal adenomas and metastases.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of diffusion-weighted and quantitative chemical-shift magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation of adrenal adenomas and metastases.

Methods: One hundred eight patients (45 men and 63 women; mean age, 57 years) with 126 adrenal masses were prospectively evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging in this study. Signal intensity and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements were performed on axial in- and opposed-phase T1-weighted gradient-echo images and on diffusion-weighted images, respectively.