Postprocessing Method for Enhanced Left Ventricular Thrombus Detection in Echocardiography.

The incidence of left ventricular thrombus has decreased in recent years due to advancements in reperfusion strategies for acute myocardial infarction and the use of medications to reduce ventricular remodeling. However, the accurate detection of thrombus remains crucial. Echocardiography is a primary diagnostic tool for thrombus detection, but in cases where the apex of the left ventricle is not clearly visualized, contrast injection is often required for diagnosis.

Apical Sparing in Routine Echocardiography: Occurrence and Clinical Significance.

Apical sparing is an echocardiographic pattern where myocardial strain is preserved at the apex compared to the basal segments. In a normal heart, longitudinal strain shows a gradient with lower values at the base and higher at the apex. This gradient becomes more pronounced in pathological states, such as cardiac amyloidosis, resulting in a relative apical sparing effect.

Bariatric-induced microbiome changes alter MASLD development in association with changes in the innate immune system.

Introduction: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects nearly 25% of the population and is the leading cause for liver-related mortality. Bariatric surgery is a well-known treatment for MASLD and obesity. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms by which bariatric surgery can alter MASLD can lead to new avenues of therapy and research.

The Flow Rate in Patients With Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis.

Purpose:  The decision to assess the severity and determine the ideal timing of intervention for low-gradient aortic stenosis poses a greater challenge. Recently, a novel method for determining the flow status of patients with aortic stenosis has been introduced, utilizing flow rate measurements. In this study, we investigated whether the flow status of patients with low-gradient aortic stenosis is linked to mortality within a three-year timeframe.