Temporary threshold shift after noise exposure in hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude: results of the ADEMED expedition 2011.

Objectives: To evaluate whether there is an increased risk for noise-induced hearing loss at high altitude rsp. in hypobaric hypoxia.

Methods: Thirteen volunteers got standard audiometry at 125, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz before and after 10 min of white noise at 90 dB.

Impact of epicardial adipose tissue volume upon left ventricular dysfunction in patients with mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis: A post-hoc analysis.

Background: Aortic stenosis (AS) may lead to diastolic dysfunction and later on heart failure (HF) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) via increased afterload and left-ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Since epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a metabolically active fat depot that is adjacent to the myocardium and can influence cardiomyocytes and LV function via secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, we hypothesized that high amounts of EAT, as assessed by computed tomography (CT), may aggravate the development and severity of LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in the context of AS.

Methods: We studied 50 patients (mean age 71 ± 9 years; 9 women) in this preliminary study with mild or moderate AS and mild to severe LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), diagnosed by echocardiography, who underwent non-contrast cardiac CT and echocardiography.

Virtual Monoenergetic Images (VMI+) in Dual-Source Dual-Energy CT Venography (DSDE-CTV) of the Lower Extremity Prior to Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG): A Feasibility Study.

Rationale And Objectives: To evaluate the image quality and suitability of Dual-Source Dual-Energy CT venography (DSDE-CTV) with asynchronous virtual monoenergetic images (VMI+) of the entire lower extremity in the context of pre-surgical assessment of complex cases prior to coronary bypass graft as a feasibility study.

Materials And Methods: Fifteen consecutive patients, consisting of 5 females and 10 males with an average age of 52 ± 17 years underwent DSDE-CTV from the pubic symphysis to the ankles after intravenous injection of an iodinated contrast medium. DSDE-CTV was acquired with tube voltages of 80 kVp and sn140 kVp.

Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker (LCP) without Diagnostic Relevant Artifacts in DualSource and DualEnergy-CT Examinations in First- to Third-Generation DSCT Scanner.

Rationale And Objectives: To identify the influence and artifact burden in cardiac CT imaging of a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) performed with all three generations of DualSource CT (DSCT) Scanners.

Materials And Methods: The LCP was examined in DSCT scanners of the first to third generation using DualEnergy (DECT) and DSCT as well as alterations of the current-time product. For DECT examinations, virtual monoenergetic images were computed manually on a dedicated workstation.

Magic Angle in Cardiac CT: Eliminating Clinically Relevant Metal Artifacts in Pacemaker Leads with a Lead-Tip/Gantry Angle of ≤70°.

Rationale And Objective: To identify the influence of various parameters for reducing artifacts in computed tomography (CT) of commonly used pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) lead tips.

Materials And Methods: This ex vivo phantom study compared two CT techniques (Dual-Energy CT [DECT] vs. Dual-Source CT [DSCT]), as well as the influence of incremental alterations of current-time product and pacemaker lead-tip angle with respect to the gantry plane.