Novel techniques for quantifying oxygen pulse curve characteristics during cardiopulmonary exercise testing in tetralogy of fallot.

Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is used in evaluation of repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF), particularly for pulmonary valve replacement need. Oxygen pulse (OP) is the CPET surrogate for stroke volume and peripheral oxygen extraction.

Objectives: This study assessed OP curve properties against non-invasive cardiac output monitoring (NICOM) and clinical testing.

Patient factors and outcomes associated with discordance between quantitative and qualitative cardiac PET ischemia information.

Background: Cardiac PET can provide quantitative myocardial blood flow (MBF) estimates. The frequency and clinical significance of discordant ischemia information between quantitative and qualitative parameters is unclear.

Methods: This retrospective, cohort study analyzed 256 Rb-82 stress-rest PET/CT studies.

Perspectives on advance care planning and palliative care among adults with congenital heart disease.

Background: Patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) report that advance care planning (ACP) is important, and that they want information about prognosis. However, recognizing importance and being willing to participate are different constructs, and how and when to begin ACP and palliative care discussions remains ill-defined.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 150 consecutive outpatients to assess willingness to participate in ACP, with whom, and important barriers and facilitators to these discussions.

Semi-quantitative metabolic values on FDG PET/CT including extracardiac sites of disease as a predictor of treatment course in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.

Background: Cardiac sarcoidosis is associated with major adverse cardiac events including cardiac arrest, for which anti-inflammatory treatment is indicated. Oral corticosteroid is the mainstay among treatment options; however, adverse effects are a major concern with long-term use. It would be beneficial for providers to predict treatment response and prognosis for proper management strategy of sarcoidosis, though it remains challenging.

Risk assessment of patients with clinical manifestations of cardiac sarcoidosis with positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Prior studies have shown that late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) confer incremental risk assessment in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). However, the incremental prognostic value of the combined use of LGE and FDG compared to either test alone has not been investigated, and this is the aim of the present study.

Methods: Retrospective observational study of 56 symptomatic patients with high clinical suspicion for CS who underwent LGE-CMR and FDG-PET and were followed for the occurrence of death and/or malignant ventricular arrhythmias (VA).