Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: does variant histology matter?

Purpose: The most frequent histology of bladder tumors is urothelial carcinoma. Most are pure urothelial carcinomas (PUC) but up to one-third of the cases present variant histological (VH) features. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of variant histology in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) response in patients with urothelial muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Efficiency of tetrofosmin versus sestamibi achieved through shorter injection-to-imaging times: A systematic review of the literature.

Based on superior image quality, more accurate gated images, and lower radiation exposure to patients, Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) based tracers are preferred over Thallium-201 for SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. The two Tc-99m tracers, sestamibi and tetrofosmin, have many similar characteristics but there are differences in blood and liver clearance rates, as well as the recommended time after injection for imaging to achieve optimal image quality. Because published peer-reviewed studies examining optimal times between injection and imaging are limited, it can be difficult to identify evidence-based opportunities to optimize imaging protocols.

Correction to: Clinical Quantification of Myocardial Blood Flow Using PET: Joint Position Paper of the SNMMI Cardiovascular Council and the ASNC.

The above position statement originally published containing errors in the author metadata; specifically, the Expert Content Reviewers-Andrew Einstein, Raymond Russell and James R. Corbett-were tagged as full authors of the paper. The article metadata has now been corrected to remove Drs.

Non-cardiac uptake of technetium-99m pyrophosphate in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

Background: Technetium-based bone scintigraphy is rapidly becoming the most common non-invasive imaging tool in the diagnosis of Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR). Skeletal muscle uptake has been described with technetium-99m-3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid (TcDPD), and may account for masking of bony uptake. We sought to investigate skeletal muscle uptake of technetium-99m-pyrophosphate (TcPYP) in patients with ATTR.

ACC/AATS/AHA/ASE/ASNC/HRS/SCAI/SCCT/SCMR/STS 2017 Appropriate Use Criteria for Multimodality Imaging in Valvular Heart Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

This document is 1 of 2 companion appropriate use criteria (AUC) documents developed by the American College of Cardiology, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. This document addresses the evaluation and use of multimodality imaging in the diagnosis and management of valvular heart disease, whereas the second, companion document addresses this topic with regard to structural heart disease. Although there is clinical overlap, the documents addressing valvular and structural heart disease are published separately, albeit with a common structure.

Regional Variation in Technetium Pyrophosphate Uptake in Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis and Impact on Mortality.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the regional uptake of technetium 99m-pyrophosphate (TcPYP) in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR) and its association with mortality.

Background: TcPYP nuclear scintigraphy is a diagnostic and prognostic tool in ATTR. Echocardiography has identified a pattern of regional variation in longitudinal strain (LS) with a gradient of improved strain from base to apex in ATTR.

Prognostic Impact of Extent, Severity, and Heterogeneity of Abnormalities on F-FDG PET Scans for Suspected Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the incremental value of quantifying the extent and severity of myocardial perfusion and F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) abnormalities in predicting adverse outcomes among patients with suspicion for cardiac sarcoidosis (CS).

Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) with FDG is a key component of the noninvasive assessment of patients with suspected CS. However, the optimal method for image interpretation has not been defined.

Independent prognostic value of left ventricular contractile reserve and chronotropic response in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction undergoing vasodilator stress myocardial perfusion imaging with Rb-82 positron emission tomography.

Objectives: We evaluated the prognostic value of heart rate reserve (ΔHR) and left ventricular ejection fraction reserve (ΔLVEF) among patients with systolic dysfunction.

Background: Inadequate ΔHR (maximal stress HR - resting HR) and ΔLVEF (LVEF at stress - LVEF at rest) in response to stress are associated with adverse cardiac events. However, the significance of an abnormal ΔHR and ΔLVEF in patients with systolic dysfunction has not been described.

Status of cardiovascular PET radiation exposure and strategies for reduction: An Information Statement from the Cardiovascular PET Task Force.

Cardiovascular positron emission tomography (PET) imaging provides high-quality visual and quantitative myocardial perfusion and function images. In addition, cardiovascular PET can assess myocardial viability, myocardial inflammatory disorders such as cardiac sarcoid, and infections of implanted devices including pacemakers, ventricular assist devices, and prosthetic heart valves. As with all nuclear cardiology procedures, the benefits need to be considered in relation to the risks of exposure to radiation.

The Future of Cardiac Imaging: Report of a Think Tank Convened by the American College of Cardiology.

The American College of Cardiology's Executive Committee and Cardiovascular Imaging Section Leadership Council convened a discussion regarding the future of cardiac imaging among thought leaders in the field during a 2 day Think Tank. Participants were charged with thinking broadly about the future of imaging and developing a roadmap to address critical challenges. Key areas of discussion included: 1) how can cardiac imaging services thrive in our new world of value-based health care? 2) Who is the cardiac imager of the future and what is the role of the multimodality imager? 3) How can we nurture innovation and research in imaging? And 4) how can we maximize imaging information and optimize outcomes? This document describes the proceedings of this Think Tank.

The association between ischemic and jeopardized myocardia and all-cause mortality in patients with peripheral artery disease.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with increased mortality and concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD). However, it is unclear whether uncovering the presence of functional coronary ischemia by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) would further help stratifying that excess risk. From January 2000 to 2009, 4294 individuals underwent cardiac stress testing within 180 days of ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurements.

Predicting Risk Versus Predicting Potential Survival Benefit Using 123I-mIBG Imaging in Patients With Systolic Dysfunction Eligible for Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator Implantation: Analysis of Data From the Prospective ADMIRE-HF Study.

Background: Cardiac (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ((123)I-mIBG) imaging improves prognostication in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Whether (123)I-mIBG can identify optimal candidates for implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) placement is unclear. We examined whether (123)I-mIBG enhances risk assessment and identifies patients with enhanced survival with ICD in a patient cohort with reduced LV function who were candidates for ICD implantation.

The Role of I-123 Metaiodobenzylguanidine Imaging in Management of Patients With Heart Failure.

Despite advances in evidence-based treatments, the morbidity and mortality of congestive heart failure remain exceedingly high. In addition, the costs associated with recurrent hospitalizations and advanced therapies, such as implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs), left ventricular assist devices, and heart transplantation, place a substantial financial burden on the health care system. The present criteria for risk stratification in patients with heart failure are inadequate and often prevent the allocation of appropriate treatment.

¹²³I-MIBG Imaging for Prediction of Mortality and Potentially Fatal Events in Heart Failure: The ADMIRE-HFX Study.

Unlabelled: ADMIRE-HF (AdreView Myocardial Imaging for Risk Evaluation in Heart Failure) established the prognostic significance of (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ((123)I-MIBG) imaging in heart failure subjects (median follow-up, 17 mo) using a composite endpoint dominated by heart failure progression. The ADMIRE-HF extension (ADMIRE-HFX) extended follow-up to a median of 24 mo and used mortality as the primary endpoint. The objective of these analyses was to use multiple multivariate risk modeling techniques to determine the independent predictive ability of (123)I-MIBG imaging for mortality outcomes.