Association of cardiometabolic and vascular atherosclerosis phenotypes on non-contrast chest CT with incident heart failure in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Coronary artery calcium (CAC), thoracic aorta calcification (TAC), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) are associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and heart failure (HF).

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether these cardiometabolic and atherosclerotic risk factors identified by non-contrast chest computed tomography (CT) are associated with HF hospitalizations in patients with LDL-C≥ 190 mg/dL.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with LDL-C ≥190 mg/dL, aged ≥40 years without established ASCVD or HF, who had a non-contrast chest CT within 3 years of LDL-C measurement.

A Large Cyst in an Unlikely Location: The Interventricular Septum.

• A large cardiac cyst was discovered in an extremely rare location: the IVS. • Pre- and postcontrast imaging is essential in the evaluation of a cystic mass. • When identifying a cardiac cyst, malignancy and infection must be considered.

Coronary Calcium Predicts All-Cause Mortality in Suspected Acute Aortic Syndrome.

Purpose: To determine long-term clinical outcomes in patients with suspected acute aortic syndrome (AAS) and evaluate the prognostic value of coronary calcium burden as assessed with CT aortography in this symptomatic population.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort of all patients who underwent emergency CT aortography from January 2007 through January 2012 for suspected AAS was assembled. A medical record survey tool was used to evaluate subsequent clinical events over 10 years of follow-up.

Longitudinal Chest X-ray Scores and their Relations with Clinical Variables and Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients.

This study evaluated the temporal characteristics of lung chest X-ray (CXR) scores in COVID-19 patients during hospitalization and how they relate to other clinical variables and outcomes (alive or dead). This is a retrospective study of COVID-19 patients. CXR scores of disease severity were analyzed for: (i) survivors ( = 224) versus non-survivors ( = 28) in the general floor group, and (ii) survivors ( = 92) versus non-survivors ( = 56) in the invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) group.

Influence of BMI on virtual coronary artery calcium scoring.

Purpose: Virtual non-contrast (VNC) coronary artery calcium scoring (CAC) may obviate the need for traditional non-contrast (TNC) CAC. There is no data on the influence of body mass index (BMI) on VNC reliability. We aimed to evaluate the influence of BMI on VNC CAC agreement with TNC.

Deep learning of longitudinal chest X-ray and clinical variables predicts duration on ventilator and mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Objectives: To use deep learning of serial portable chest X-ray (pCXR) and clinical variables to predict mortality and duration on invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective study. Serial pCXR and serial clinical variables were analyzed for data from day 1, day 5, day 1-3, day 3-5, or day 1-5 on IMV (110 IMV survivors and 76 IMV non-survivors).

Visual Coronary and Aortic Calcium Scoring on Chest Computed Tomography Predict Mortality in Patients With Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol ≥190 mg/dL.

Background: Current guidelines recommend coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring for stratification of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk only in patients with borderline to intermediate risk score by the pooled cohort equation with low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) of 70 to 190 mg/dL. It remains unknown if CAC or thoracic aorta calcification (TAC), detected on routine chest computed tomography, can provide further risk stratification in patients with LDL-C≥190 mg/dL.

Methods: From a multisite medical center, we retrospectively identified all patients from March 2005 to June 2021 age ≥40 years, without established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and LDL-C≥190 mg/dL who had non-gated non-contrast chest computed tomography within 3 years of LDL-C measurement.

Prone Chest Radiographs: Distinguishing Features and Identification of Support Devices.

Purpose: Prone position is known to improve acute lung injury, and chest radiographs are often necessary to monitor disease and confirm support device placement. However, there is a paucity of literature regarding radiographs obtained in this position. We evaluated prone radiographs for distinguishing features and ability to identify support devices.

Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Outcomes of Pneumomediastinum in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Case-Control Study.

Since the beginning of the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pneumomediastinum has been reported in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. It has been suggested that pneumomediastinum may portend a worse outcome in such patients although no investigation has established this association definitively. We hypothesized that the finding of pneumomediastinum in the setting of COVID-19 disease may be associated with a worse clinical outcome.

Incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation in COVID-19 is associated with increased epicardial adipose tissue.

Purpose: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) can predict AF in the general population. We aimed to determine if CAC and EAT measured by computed tomographic (CT) scanning can predict new-onset AF in patients admitted with COVID-19 disease.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, post hoc analysis of all patients admitted to Montefiore Medical Center with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis from March 1st to June 23rd, 2020, who had a non-contrast CT of the chest within 5 years prior to admission.

Coronary artery calcification and epicardial adipose tissue as independent predictors of mortality in COVID-19.

Recent epidemiological studies have demonstrated that common cardiovascular risk factors are strongly associated with adverse outcomes in COVID-19. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) and epicardial fat (EAT) have shown to outperform traditional risk factors in predicting cardiovascular events in the general population. We aim to determine if CAC and EAT determined by Computed Tomographic (CT) scanning can predict all-cause mortality in patients admitted with COVID-19 disease.

A Retrospective Multi-Site Academic Center Analysis of Pneumothorax and Associated Risk Factors after CT-Guided Percutaneous Lung Biopsy.

Purpose: To assess the risk factors, incidence and significance of pneumothorax in patients undergoing CT-guided lung biopsy.

Methods: Patients who underwent a CT-guided lung biopsy between August 10, 2010 and September 19, 2016 were retrospectively identified. Imaging was assessed for immediate and delayed pneumothorax.

Echocardiography Abnormal Findings and Laboratory Operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic at a High Volume Center in New York City.

(1) Background: This study sought to explore how the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected the echocardiography (TTE) laboratory operations at a high volume medical center in New York City. Changes in cardiac imaging study volume, turn-around time, and abnormal findings were analyzed and compared to a pre-pandemic period. (2) Methods: Volume of all cardiac imaging studies and TTE reports between 11 March 2020 to 5 May 2020 and the same calendar period in 2019 were retrospectively identified and compared.

Thoracic aortic dissection classification among radiologists and surgeons and management trends.

Objective: To investigate the discrepancy rate in classification of newly diagnosed aortic dissection (AD) between radiologists and surgeons and explore patient management.

Methods: 3255 CTs performed for AD from June 2013 to June 2018 at our institution were retrospectively identified. CT reports and charts were reviewed to identify newly diagnosed AD or intramural hematoma (IMH).

Diagnostic Performance of Pulmonary Embolism Imaging in Patients with History of Asthma.

Asthma and pulmonary embolism (PE) can present with overlapping symptoms, and distinguishing between these 2 conditions can be challenging. Asthma may limit imaging for PE because of either worsened ventilation defects on ventilation-perfusion scanning (VQ) or increased motion artifacts on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). We identified adults evaluated for PE with VQ or CTPA from 2012 to 2016.

Implementation of an aortic dissection CT protocol with clinical decision support aimed at decreasing radiation exposure by reducing routine abdominopelvic imaging.

Patients suspected of having an acute aortic syndrome in the ED typically undergo CT of the chest/abdomen/pelvis. However, the overwhelming majority of these exams are negative. With the help of clinical decision support, we implemented a new radiologist monitored 'aortic dissection screening protocol' that forgoes routine abdominopelvic imaging in order to reduce radiation dose without compromising diagnostic accuracy.

Having a Primary Care Provider is the Strongest Predictor of Successful Follow-up of Participants in a Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Ethnic minorities, women, and those of low socioeconomic status are widely underrepresented in clinical trials. Few studies have explored factors associated with successful follow-up in these historically difficult-to-reach patients. This study's objective was to identify patient characteristics and methods of contact that predict successful contact for follow-up in an urban, predominantly ethnic minority, majority-women, poor population to help devise strategies to improve retention.

Comparison Between Anatomical and Functional Imaging Modalities for Evaluation of Chest Pain in the Emergency Department.

Evaluation of chest pain in the emergency department (ED) frequently employs a noninvasive strategy, including coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), stress echocardiography (SE), or myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). We sought to report the real-world experience of utilizing CCTA compared with SE and MPI at an urban hospital ED. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutively enrolled patients presenting with chest pain who had normal or nondiagnostic electrocardiogram (ECG), negative initial troponin-T, at least intermediate risk based on modified Diamond-Forrester criteria, and who underwent CCTA, SE, or MPI based on their individual test eligibility criteria.

Meeting ACR Dose Guidelines for CT Lung Cancer Screening in an Overweight and Obese Population.

Rationale And Objectives: Lung cancer screening adoption coincides with a growing obesity epidemic. Maintaining high-quality imaging at low radiation dose is challenging in obesity. We investigate the feasibility of meeting American College of Radiology (ACR) dose guidelines for lung cancer screening in a predominantly overweight and obese population.

Clinical significance of incidental findings on coronary CT angiography: Insights from a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The effect of incidental findings from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) on management has not been rigorously investigated. This study uses a control group to explore this relationship.

Methods: Analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of acute chest pain patients admitted to telemetry was performed.