Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Myocardial Strain Assessment Correlates with Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients with Pectus Excavatum.

: To evaluate correlations between cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) at rest including strain imaging and variables derived from quantitative cardiopulmonary exercise testing using a treadmill in patients with pectus excavatum. : We retrospectively correlated the results of cMRI and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in 17 patients with pectus excavatum, in whom both examinations were performed during their pre-operative clinical evaluation. In addition to cardiac volumetry, we assessed the strain rates of both ventricles using a feature-tracking algorithm of a piece of commercially available post-processing software.

The effects of ambient air pollution exposure on Thoroughbred racehorse performance.

Background: Limited research exists on impacts of air pollution on non-human mammals, particularly animal athletes such as Thoroughbred racehorses. Athletes have a greater risk of exposure as heightened exertion and increased airflow carry more pollutants deeper into the respiratory tract.

Objectives: To provide insights into the impact of ambient air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM), on race speed.

Optimisation of detecting chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in acute pulmonary embolism survivors: the InShape IV study.

Introduction: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is often diagnosed late in acute pulmonary embolism survivors: more efficient testing to expedite diagnosis may considerably improve patient outcomes. The InShape II algorithm safely rules out CTEPH (failure rate 0.29%) while requiring echocardiography in only 19% of patients but may be improved by adding detailed reading of the computed tomography pulmonary angiography diagnosing the index pulmonary embolism.

Photon-Counting Detector CT Virtual Monoenergetic Images for Coronary Artery Stenosis Quantification: Phantom and In Vivo Evaluation.

Calcium blooming causes stenosis overestimation on coronary CTA. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the impact of virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) reconstruction level on coronary artery stenosis quantification using photon-counting detector (PCD) CT. A phantom containing two custom-made vessels (representing 25% and 50% stenosis) underwent PCD CT acquisitions without and with simulated cardiac motion.