Elasticity-based determination of isovolumetric phases in the human heart.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND/MOTIVATION: To directly determine isovolumetric cardiac time intervals by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) using the magnitude of the complex signal for deducing morphological information combined with the phase of the complex signal for tension-relaxation measurements.

Methods: Thirty-five healthy volunteers and 11 patients with relaxation abnormalities were subjected to transthoracic wave stimulation using vibrations of approximately 25 Hz. A k-space-segmented, ECG-gated gradient-recalled echo steady-state sequence with a 500-Hz bipolar motion-encoding gradient was used for acquiring a series of 360 complex images of a short-axis view of the heart at a frame rate of less than 5.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in dilated cardiomyopathy in adults--towards identification of myocardial inflammation.

Objective: To assess active myocardial inflammation by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) amongst adult patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: We evaluated 23 adults with chronic DCM, who had successfully undergone both CMR and EMB within 3.5 ± 2.

Cardiac magnetic resonance elastography: toward the diagnosis of abnormal myocardial relaxation.

Aim: To assess the potential of cardiac magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) for elasticity-based detection of abnormal left ventricular (LV) relaxation.

Materials And Methods: Cardiac MRE was performed in 3 groups: young volunteers (n = 11; mean age, 31.7 years), older volunteers (n = 5; mean age, 54.

Comparison of non-gated vs. electrocardiogram-gated 64-detector-row computed tomography for integrated electroanatomic mapping in patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation.

Aims: To compare non-gated vs. electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated 64-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) of the left atrium (LA) for integrated electroanatomic mapping (EAM) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: Twenty-nine consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF underwent MDCT prior to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Gadofosveset trisodium-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography of the left atrium--a feasibility study.

Aim: Imaging of the left atrium is regularly performed prior to pulmonary vein isolation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced high-resolution magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the left atrium using the blood-pool contrast agent gadofosveset trisodium in comparison to noncontrast MRA.

Materials And Methods: Twenty consecutive patients were examined by free-breathing electrocardiogram-gated whole-heart MRA (reconstructed spatial resolution, 0.

Myocardial tissue Doppler echocardiography and N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in diastolic and systolic heart failure.

Background: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the diagnostic value of NT-proBNP and the concordance with Tissue Doppler Echocardiography (including strain and longitudinal displacement) in diastolic and systolic heart failure.

Methods And Results: 137 consecutive clinically stable patients were included (42 healthy controls, 43 with diastolic heart failure, 52 with systolic heart failure). In diastolic heart failure, basal septal strain was reduced (-24.

Noninvasive monitoring of myocardial function after surgical and cytostatic therapy in a peritoneal metastasis rat model: assessment with tissue Doppler and non-Doppler 2D strain echocardiography.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the impact of different antineoplastic treatment methods on systolic and diastolic myocardial function, and the feasibility estimation of regional deformation parameters with non-Doppler 2D echocardiography in rats.

Background: The optimal method for quantitative assessment of global and regional ventricular function in rats and the impact of complex oncological multimodal therapy on left- and right-ventricular function in rats remains unclear.

Methods: 90 rats after subperitoneal implantation of syngenetic colonic carcinoma cells underwent different onclogical treatment methods and were diveded into one control group and five treatment groups (with 15 rats in each group): group 1 = control group (without operation and without medication), group 2 = operation group without additional therapy, group 3 = combination of operation and photodynamic therapy, group 4 = operation in combination with hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy with mitomycine, and group 5 = operation in combination with hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy with gemcitabine, group 6 = operation in combination with taurolidin i.

Long-term results after partial left ventriculectomy.

Background: Long-term clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic effects after partial left ventriculectomy (PLV) and predictors of outcome have been determined.

Methods: Between January 1995 and July 1999, PLV was performed in 39 patients. In 15 patients the etiology of heart failure was idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP), 19 patients had ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP) and five patients had valvular cardiomyopathy.