Inflammatory risk and cardiovascular events in patients without obstructive coronary artery disease: the ORFAN multicentre, longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is the first line investigation for chest pain, and it is used to guide revascularisation. However, the widespread adoption of CCTA has revealed a large group of individuals without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), with unclear prognosis and management. Measurement of coronary inflammation from CCTA using the perivascular fat attenuation index (FAI) Score could enable cardiovascular risk prediction and guide the management of individuals without obstructive CAD.

The Use and Efficacy of FFR-CT: Real-World Multicenter Audit of Clinical Data With Cost Analysis.

Background: Fractional flow reserve-computed tomography (FFR-CT) is endorsed by UK and U.S. chest pain guidelines, but its clinical effectiveness and cost benefit in real-world practice are unknown.

United Kingdom standards for non-invasive cardiac imaging: recommendations from the Imaging Council of the British Cardiovascular Society.

Heart and circulatory diseases affect more than seven million people in the UK. Non-invasive cardiac imaging is a critical element of contemporary cardiology practice. Progressive improvements in technology over the last 20 years have increased diagnostic accuracy in all modalities and led to the incorporation of non-invasive imaging into many standard cardiac clinical care pathways.

Graft flow assessment and early coronary artery bypass graft failure: a computed tomography analysis.

Objectives: We evaluated graft patency by computed tomography and explored the determinants of intraoperative mean graft flow (MGF) and its contribution to predict early graft occlusion.

Methods: One hundred and forty-eight patients under a single surgeon were prospectively enrolled. Arterial and endoscopically harvested venous conduits were used.

INtra-procedural ultraSound Imaging for DEtermination of atrial wall thickness and acute tissue changes after isolation of the pulmonary veins with radiofrequency, cryoballoon or laser balloon energy: the INSIDE PVs study.

Preliminary data in human suggest that both Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) can be used for real-time information on the left atrial (LA) wall thickness and on the acute tissue changes produced by energy delivery. This pilot study was conducted to compare ICE and IVUS for real-time LA wall imaging and assessment of acute tissue changes produced by radiofrequency (RF), cryo and laser catheter ablation. Patients scheduled for RF, cryoballoon or laser balloon Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI) catheter ablation were enrolled.

Speeding up beta-blockade prior to coronary CT angiography: can we predict the dose of intravenous metoprolol required to achieve target heart rate in a given patient?

Aim: To evaluate the use and safety of intravenous (IV) metoprolol in a cohort of patients undergoing coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) at a university hospital, and in particular, to establish if the minimum dose required to achieve the target heart rate (HR) in a given patient can be predicted from the baseline HR.

Materials And Methods: Patients undergoing CCTA at a tertiary centre between January 2015 and May 2018, with baseline HR ≥60 bpm requiring IV metoprolol, were identified retrospectively from the database. Patients with a contraindication to beta-blockade or an indication for CCTA other than coronary disease were excluded.

Prevalence and Outcomes of Concomitant Aortic Stenosis and Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Background: Older patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) are increasingly identified as having cardiac amyloidosis (CA). It is unknown whether concomitant AS-CA has worse outcomes or results in futility of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Objectives: This study identified clinical characteristics and outcomes of AS-CA compared with lone AS.

Identifying Cardiac Amyloid in Aortic Stenosis: ECV Quantification by CT in TAVR Patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to validate computed tomography measured ECV (ECV) as part of routine evaluation for the detection of cardiac amyloid in patients with aortic stenosis (AS)-amyloid.

Background: AS-amyloid affects 1 in 7 elderly patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Bone scintigraphy with exclusion of a plasma cell dyscrasia can diagnose transthyretin-related cardiac amyloid noninvasively, for which novel treatments are emerging.

DPD Quantification in Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Novel Imaging Biomarker.

Objectives: To assess whether single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) quantification of bone scintigraphy would improve diagnostic accuracy and offer a means of quantifying amyloid burden.

Background: Transthyretin-related cardiac amyloidosis is common and can be diagnosed noninvasively using bone scintigraphy; interpretation, however, relies on planar images. SPECT/CT imaging offers 3-dimensional visualization.

Prevalence and outcome of dual aortic stenosis and cardiac amyloid pathology in patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Aims: Cardiac amyloidosis is common in elderly patients with aortic stenosis (AS) referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We hypothesized that patients with dual aortic stenosis and cardiac amyloid pathology (AS-amyloid) would have different baseline characteristics, periprocedural and mortality outcomes.

Methods And Results: Patients aged ≥75 with severe AS referred for TAVI at two sites underwent blinded bone scintigraphy prior to intervention (Perugini Grade 0 negative, 1-3 increasingly positive).