Computerized classification method for significant coronary artery stenosis on whole-heart coronary MRA using 3D convolutional neural networks with attention mechanisms.

This study aims to develop a computerized classification method for significant coronary artery stenosis on whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography (WHCMRA) images using a 3D convolutional neural network (3D-CNN) with attention mechanisms. The dataset included 951 segments from WHCMRA images of 75 patients who underwent both WHCMRA and invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Forty-two segments with significant stenosis (luminal diameter reduction 75%) on ICA were annotated on WHCMRA images by an experienced radiologist, whereas 909 segments without it were annotated at representative sites.

Ultra-low-dose coronary computed tomography angiography using photon-counting detector computed tomography.

Aims: Photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT), which allows the exclusion of electronic noise, shows promise for significant dose reduction in coronary CT angiography (CCTA). This study aimed to assess the radiation dose and image quality of CCTA using PCD-CT, combined with high-pitch helical scanning and an ultra-low tube potential of 70 kVp, and investigate the effect of a sharp kernel on image quality and stenosis assessment in such an ultra-low-dose CCTA setting.

Methods And Results: Forty patients (65% male) with stable heart rates and no prior coronary interventions were included.

Integrating myocardial CT perfusion with coronary CT angiography improves risk stratification in patients with dialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease.

Purpose: Risk stratification for incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with dialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease (dd-ESRD) is challenging. Moreover, the usefulness of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is often limited because of high calcification. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of comprehensive cardiac CT in patients with dd-ESRD for predicting MACE.

Test-retest reproducibility of absolute myocardial blood flow obtained using stress dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary microvascular disease (CMD) are significant contributors to angina pectoris, necessitating reliable diagnostic techniques for effective management. While positron emission tomography has been the non-invasive gold standard for myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantification, stress dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging (CTMPI) has emerged as a promising alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the test-retest reproducibility of MBF measurements obtained using dynamic CTMPI.

Usefulness of second-generation motion correction algorithm in improving delineation and reducing motion artifact of coronary computed tomography angiography.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of second-generation intra-cycle motion correction algorithm (SnapShot Freeze 2, GE Healthcare, MC2) in improving the delineation and interpretability of coronary arteries in coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) compared to first-generation intra-cycle motion correction algorithm (SnapShot Freeze, GE Healthcare, MC1).

Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease who underwent CCTA on a 256-slice CT scanner were retrospectively studied. CCTA were reconstructed with three different algorithms: no motion correction (NMC), MC1, and MC2.

Epipericardial fat necrosis diagnosed by cardiac CT in a patient with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Epipericardial fat necrosis (EFN) is a rare benign cause of chest pain, that is frequently overlooked. EFN involves the necrosis of fat tissue in the mediastinum, and presents on computed tomography (CT) as an ovoid lesion of fat attenuation surrounded by a rim of soft tissue attenuation. This case report describes a case of a 50-year-old man diagnosed with EFN on cardiac CT, which was incidentally associated with apical hypertrophic myocardiopathy.

Microvascular Dysfunction in Patients with Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Quantitative Assessment with Phase Contrast Cine MR Imaging of the Coronary Sinus.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to compare global coronary flow reserve (CFR) between patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and risk-matched controls using cardiac MRI (CMR), and to evaluate the relationship between global CFR and CMR left ventricular (LV) parameters.

Methods: Twenty-six patients with DCM and 26 risk-matched controls who underwent comprehensive CMR examination, including stress-rest coronary sinus flow measurement by phase contrast (PC) cine CMR were retrospectively studied. LV peak global longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strains (GLS, GRS, and GCS) were determined by feature tracking.

Super-Resolution Deep Learning Reconstruction for Improved Image Quality of Coronary CT Angiography.

Purpose: To investigate image noise and edge sharpness of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) with super-resolution deep learning reconstruction (SR-DLR) compared with conventional DLR (C-DLR) and to evaluate agreement in stenosis grading using CCTA with that from invasive coronary angiography (ICA) as the reference standard.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 58 patients (mean age, 69.0 years ± 12.

Complementary prognostic value of stress perfusion imaging and global coronary flow reserve derived from cardiovascular magnetic resonance: a long-term cohort study.

Background: Phase-contrast cine cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) quantifies global coronary flow reserve (CFR) by measuring blood flow in the coronary sinus (CS), allowing assessment of the entire coronary circulation. However, the complementary prognostic value of stress perfusion CMR and global CFR in long-term follow-up has yet to be investigated. This study aimed to investigate the complementary prognostic value of stress myocardial perfusion imaging and global CFR derived from CMR in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) during long-term follow-up.

Optimal Protocol for Contrast-enhanced Free-running 5D Whole-heart Coronary MR Angiography at 3T.

Free-running 5D whole-heart coronary MR angiography (MRA) is gaining in popularity because it reduces scanning complexity by removing the need for specific slice orientations, respiratory gating, or cardiac triggering. At 3T, a gradient echo (GRE) sequence is preferred in combination with contrast injection. However, neither the injection scheme of the gadolinium (Gd) contrast medium, the choice of the RF excitation angle, nor the dedicated image reconstruction parameters have been established for 3T GRE free-running 5D whole-heart coronary MRA.

Radiation exposure in cardiac computed tomography imaging in Mie prefecture in 2021.

Purpose: Several effective radiation dose reduction methods have been developed for coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA); however, their use in daily clinical practice remains unknown. We aimed to investigate radiation exposure and the utilization of dose-saving strategies for coronary CTA in hospitals in Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Materials And Methods: Image acquisition details and dose reports of 30 consecutive cardiac CT examinations performed in 2021 were obtained from 18 hospitals.

Associating the Severity of Emphysema with Coronary Flow Reserve and Left Atrial Conduit Function for the Emphysema Patients with Known or Suspected Coronary Artery Disease.

Purpose: Pulmonary emphysema may associate with ischemic heart disease through systemic microvascular abnormality as a common pathway. Stress cardiovascular MR (CMR) allows for the assessment of global coronary flow reserve (CFR). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the emphysema severity and the multiple MRI parameters in the emphysema patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

The cardiac computed tomography-derived extracellular volume fraction predicts patient outcomes and left ventricular mass reductions after transcatheter aortic valve implantation for aortic stenosis.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) improved outcome of patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS). Myocardial fibrosis is associated with AS-related pathological left ventricular (LV) remodeling and predicts cardiovascular mortality after TAVI. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of preoperative extracellular volume (ECV) assessed by computed tomography (CT) on left ventricular mass (LVM) regression and clinical outcomes in severe AS patients after TAVI.

Hyperemic myocardial blood flow in patients with atrial fibrillation before and after catheter ablation: A dynamic stress CT perfusion study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients without coronary artery stenosis often show clinical evidence of ischemia. However myocardial perfusion in AF patients has been poorly studied. The purposes of this study were to investigate altered hyperemic myocardial blood flow (MBF) in patients with AF compared with risk-matched controls in sinus rhythm (SR), and to evaluate hyperemic MBF before and after catheter ablation using dynamic CT perfusion.

Clinical Validation of the Accuracy of Absolute Myocardial Blood Flow Quantification with Dual-Source CT Using O-Water PET.

Purpose: To determine the fitting equation that can correct for the underestimation of myocardial blood flow (MBF) measurement by using dynamic CT perfusion (CTP) with dual-source CT (MBF), using MBF with oxygen 15-labeled water (O-water) PET (MBF) as a reference, and to determine the accuracy of corrected MBF (MBF) compared with MBF in a separate set of participants.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study (reference no. 2466), 34 participants (mean age, 70 years ± 8 [standard deviation]; 27 men) known or suspected to have coronary artery disease underwent dynamic stress CTP and stress O-water PET between January 2014 and December 2018.

Long-term prognostic value of whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography.

Background: Coronary magnetic resonance angiography (CMRA) allows non-ionizing visualization of luminal narrowing in coronary artery disease (CAD). Although a prior study showed the usefulness of CMRA for risk stratification in short-term follow-up, the long-term prognostic value of CMRA remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term prognostic value of CMRA.

Computed tomography-guided biopsy for small renal masses before or immediately after tumor ablation: factors affecting diagnostic yield.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic yield of percutaneous renal mass biopsy (RMB) before and after ablation.

Materials And Methods: In total, 333 renal masses in 332 consecutive patients underwent computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsies and were included in this study. All biopsies were performed with 18-gauge core needles with CT fluoroscopic guidance before ablation (n  =  234) or immediately after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (n  =  40) or cryoablation (CA) (n  =  59).

Quantification of extracellular volume fraction by cardiac computed tomography for noninvasive assessment of myocardial fibrosis in hemodialysis patients.

Extent of myocardial fibrosis in hemodialysis patients has been associated with poor prognosis. Myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) quantification using contrast enhanced cardiac computed tomography (CT) is a novel method to determine extent of myocardial fibrosis. Cardiac CT-based myocardial ECV in hemodialysis patients with those of propensity-matched non-hemodialysis control subjects were compared.

Feasibility of extracellular volume fraction calculation using myocardial CT delayed enhancement with low contrast media administration.

Background: Myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) derived from CT delayed enhancement (CTDE) may allow assessment of diffuse myocardial fibrosis. However, the amount of contrast medium required for ECV estimation has not been established. Since ECV estimation by CT is typically performed in combination with coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in clinical settings, we aimed to investigate whether reliable ECV estimation is possible using the contrast dose optimized for CCTA without additional contrast administration.

Prognostic Value of Stress Dynamic Computed Tomography Perfusion With Computed Tomography Delayed Enhancement.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the prognostic value of stress dynamic computed tomography (CT) perfusion (CTP) with CT delayed enhancement (CTDE) in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) and in subgroups of patients with stent, heavy calcification, or stenosis.

Background: The prognostic value of stress dynamic CTP with CTDE is unknown.

Methods: Participants were 540 patients with suspected or known CAD.