A deep learning based method for left ventricular strain measurements: repeatability and accuracy compared to experienced echocardiographers.

Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) provides quantification of left ventricular (LV) deformation and is useful in the assessment of LV function. STE is increasingly being used clinically, and every effort to simplify and standardize STE is important. Manual outlining of regions of interest (ROIs) is labor intensive and may influence assessment of strain values.

Left atrial volume assessed by echocardiography identifies patients with high risk of adverse outcome after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The left atrial (LA) volume has been demonstrated to be an important predictor of adverse outcome in patients with various cardiac conditions, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, new treatment strategies in patients with AMI have led to better patient outcomes. We hypothesised that increased LA size could still predict mortality in patients with AMI despite improved treatment strategies.

The Prognostic Value of Left Atrial Function in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

The prognostic value of left atrial (LA) volume is well-established in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. LA strain provides further patophysological insights. In the present study, we evaluated LA volume and LA strain in AMI patients including those with atrial fibrillation (AF).

No adverse association between exercise exposure and diffuse myocardial fibrosis in male endurance athletes.

The potential association between endurance exercise and myocardial fibrosis is controversial. Data on exercise exposure and diffuse myocardial fibrosis in endurance athletes are scarce and conflicting. We aimed to investigate the association between exercise exposure and markers of diffuse myocardial fibrosis by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in endurance athletes.

Differentiation of Myocardial Properties in Physiological Athletic Cardiac Remodeling and Mild Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Clinical differentiation between athletes' hearts and those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be challenging. We aimed to explore the role of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in the differentiation between athletes' hearts and those with mild HCM. We compared 30 competitive endurance elite athletes (7% female, age 41 ± 9 years) and 20 mild phenotypic mutation-positive HCM carriers (15% female, age 51 ± 12 years) with left ventricular wall thickness 13 ± 1 mm.

Mortality in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome-A Prospective 5-Year Follow-Up Study.

Our objective was to compare long-term outcomes in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) between two time periods in Southern Norway. There are limited contemporary data comparing long-term follow-up after revascularization in the last decades. This prospective follow-up study consecutively included both NSTEMI and STEMI patients during two time periods, 2014-2015 and 2004-2009.

Deep learning for automated left ventricular outflow tract diameter measurements in 2D echocardiography.

Background: Measurement of the left ventricular outflow tract diameter (LVOTd) in echocardiography is a common source of error when used to calculate the stroke volume. The aim of this study is to assess whether a deep learning (DL) model, trained on a clinical echocardiographic dataset, can perform automatic LVOTd measurements on par with expert cardiologists.

Methods: Data consisted of 649 consecutive transthoracic echocardiographic examinations of patients with coronary artery disease admitted to a university hospital.

Regular measurements of EMF in a representative Norwegian city-constant exposure over time despite introduction of new technologies.

The rapid growth of the wireless communication industry has resulted in the installation of numerous of base stations, everywhere in our surroundings. The population is exposed to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields of varying frequency and strength. This, and introduction of new systems have risen public concerns regarding potential health effects from this RF-EMF exposure.

Diagnostic radiological examinations and risk of intracranial tumours in adults-findings from the Interphone Study.

Background: Exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation is among the few well-established brain tumour risk factors. We used data from the Interphone study to evaluate the effects of exposure to low-dose radiation from diagnostic radiological examinations on glioma, meningioma and acoustic neuroma risk.

Methods: Brain tumour cases (2644 gliomas, 2236 meningiomas, 1083 neuromas) diagnosed in 2000-02 were identified through hospitals in 13 countries, and 6068 controls (population-based controls in most centres) were included in the analysis.

Strain echocardiography improves prediction of arrhythmic events in ischemic and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) may not offer mortality benefit. We aimed to investigate if etiology of heart failure and strain echocardiography can improve risk stratification of life threatening ventricular arrhythmia (VA) in heart failure patients.

Methods: This prospective multi-center follow-up study consecutively included NICM and ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%.

Impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation on mechanical dispersion.

Objectives: The physiological determinants of left ventricular (LV) mechanical dispersion (MD) are not fully explored. We aimed to investigate the impact of afterload reduction and changes in ventricular conduction on LV MD after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods: Patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) were examined in a prospective, repeated measures observational cohort study before and after an uncomplicated transfemoral TAVI in a single tertiary centre.

Circulating secretoneurin concentrations in patients with moderate to severe aortic stenosis.

Background: Secretoneurin (SN) concentrations provide important prognostic information in patients with myocardial dysfunction. Whether preoperative SN concentrations improve risk assessment in patients with moderate to severe aortic stenosis (AS) is unknown.

Methods: We included 57 patients with moderate to severe AS referred for presurgical evaluation.

Imaging and heart failure: myocardial strain.

Purpose Of Review: To summarize literature on the application of myocardial strain in patients with heart failure published since 2018.

Recent Findings: Left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular strain provides important prognostic information in patients with acute and chronic heart failure and new insights in disease mechanisms in amyloidosis. The addition of left atrial strain to current societal diastolic dysfunction criteria may improve detection of clinically relevant diastolic dysfunction.

Exposure to loud noise and risk of vestibular schwannoma: results from the INTERPHONE international case‒control study.

Objective Studies of loud noise exposure and vestibular schwannomas (VS) have shown conflicting results. The population-based INTERPHONE case‒control study was conducted in 13 countries during 2000-2004. In this paper, we report the results of analyses on the association between VS and self-reported loud noise exposure.

Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular systolic function.

Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) is the most validated and commonly used echocardiographic measure of systolic function. LVEF has a unique position in cardiology having severed as selection criteria for therapeutic trials that constitute the evidence base of today's treatment recommendations. Assessment of LV systolic function by global longitudinal strain (GLS) from speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a sensitive and feasible method that overcomes many of the limitations of LVEF, including reproducibility issues of serial testing and detection of LV dysfunction in pathologically remodeled hearts.

Classical mechanical dyssynchrony is rare in transcatheter aortic valve implantation-induced left bundle branch block.

Aims: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is a frequent conduction abnormality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to investigate how TAVI procedure related conduction abnormalities influence ventricular mechanics and prognosis, with particular focus on new-onset persistent LBBB.

Methods And Results: A total of 140 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis (83 ± 8 years old, 49% women) undergoing TAVI in a single tertiary centre were included in a repeated measures study.

Number of pregnancies and subsequent phenotype in a cross-sectional cohort of women with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: We aimed to assess the relation between number of pregnancies and cardiac structure, function, and arrhythmic events in women with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC).

Methods And Results: We included female AC patients in a cross-sectional study. Number of pregnancies and pregnancy related symptoms were recorded.

Prognostic Value of Left Ventricular Deformation Parameters in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis: A Pilot Study of the Usefulness of Strain Echocardiography.

Background: In patients with aortic stenosis, subtle alterations in myocardial mechanics can be detected by speckle-tracking echocardiography before reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods: In this prospective study, 162 patients with aortic stenosis with an average aortic valve area of 0.7 ± 0.

Prenatal and Postnatal Medical Conditions and the Risk of Brain Tumors in Children and Adolescents: An International Multicenter Case-Control Study.

Background: Previous studies have evaluated the effect of medical diagnostic radiation on brain tumors. Recent cohort studies have reported an increased risk associated with exposure to head CT scans.

Methods: Information regarding medical conditions, including prenatal and postnatal exposure to medical diagnostic radiation, was obtained from CEFALO, a multicenter case-control study performed in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland through face-to-face interview.

A multinational case-control study on childhood brain tumours, anthropogenic factors, birth characteristics and prenatal exposures: A validation of interview data.

Little is known about the aetiology of childhood brain tumours. We investigated anthropometric factors (birth weight, length, maternal age), birth characteristics (e.g.

Mitral valve analysis using a novel 3D holographic display: a feasibility study of 3D ultrasound data converted to a holographic screen.

The aim of the present study was to test the feasibility of analyzing 3D ultrasound data on a novel holographic display. An increasing number of mini-invasive procedures for mitral valve repair require more effective visualization to improve patient safety and speed of procedures. A novel 3D holographic display has been developed and may have the potential to guide interventional cardiac procedures in the near future.