T2-prepared segmented 3D-gradient-echo for fast T2-weighted high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of the carotid artery wall at 3T: a feasibility study.

Background: The multi-contrast assessment of the carotid artery wall has become an important diagnostic tool for the characterization of atherosclerotic plaque and vessel wall thickening. For providing the required T1-, T2-, and proton density weighted contrast, multi-slice turbo spin echo (TSE) techniques are normally applied. The straightforward extension of the TSE techniques to volumetric imaging of large sections of the carotid arteries is limited by the resulting long acquisition times.

[Consensus recommendations of the German Radiology Society (DRG), the German Cardiac Society (DGK) and the German Society for Pediatric Cardiology (DGPK) on the use of cardiac imaging with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging].

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) have been developed rapidly in the last decade. Technical improvements and broad availability of modern CT and MRI scanners have led to an increasing and regular use of both diagnostic methods in clinical routine. Therefore, this German consensus document has been developed in collaboration by the German Cardiac Society, German Radiology Society, and the German Society for Pediatric Cardiology.

An efficient inverse radiotherapy planning method for VMAT using quadratic programming optimization.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of an inverse planning optimization approach for the Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) based on quadratic programming and the projection method. The performance of this method is evaluated against a reference commercial planning system (eclipse(TM) for rapidarc(TM)) for clinically relevant cases.

Methods: The inverse problem is posed in terms of a linear combination of basis functions representing arclet dose contributions and their respective linear coefficients as degrees of freedom.

Effect of bivalirudin compared with unfractionated heparin plus abciximab on infarct size and myocardial recovery after primary percutaneous coronary intervention: the horizons-AMI CMRI substudy.

Background: Myocardial infarct size is a strong independent predictor of mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In the Harmonizing Outcomes with RevasculariZatiON and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction (HORIZONS-AMI) trial, bivalirudin compared with unfractionated heparin plus a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor reduced cardiac mortality in STEMI patients, which was attributed to reduced major bleeding. Whether a possible reduction in infarct size with bivalirudin may have contributed to the enhanced survival with this agent is unknown.

Development of a universal dual-bolus injection scheme for the quantitative assessment of myocardial perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Background: The dual-bolus protocol enables accurate quantification of myocardial blood flow (MBF) by first-pass perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). However, despite the advantages and increasing demand for the dual-bolus method for accurate quantification of MBF, thus far, it has not been widely used in the field of quantitative perfusion CMR. The main reasons for this are that the setup for the dual-bolus method is complex and requires a state-of-the-art injector and there is also a lack of post processing software.

[The role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with heart failure].

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a tomographic technique, which allows three-dimensional slice orientation without limitations from acoustic windows inherent to echocardiography. Further advantages of CMR are its high temporal and spatial resolution, its excellent soft tissue resolution and its high blood-to-tissue contrast. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance is currently the only imaging technique, which provides a comprehensive study of both structure and function of the heart as well as myocardial perfusion and viability.

MRI assessment of thoracic stent grafts after emergency implantation in multi trauma patients: a feasibility study.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of MRI for static and dynamic assessment of the deployment of thoracic aortic stent grafts after emergency implantation in trauma patients.

Methods: Twenty patients initially presenting with a rupture of the thoracic aorta were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).

Prognostic significance of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: Update 2010.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has become an indispensible imaging technique for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Technical advances in the past have rendered CMR unique in the evaluation of cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology due to its unique ability to produce high resolution tomographic images of the human heart and vessels in any arbitrary orientation, with soft tissue contrast that is superior to competing imaging modalities without the use of ionizing radiation. CMR imaging is the gold standard for assessing left and right ventricular function and for detecting myocardial tissue abnormalities like edema, infarction, or scars.

Assessment of the coronary venous system in heart failure patients by blood pool agent enhanced whole-heart MRI.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of MRI for non-invasive assessment of the coronary sinus (CS) and the number and course of its major tributaries in heart failure patients.

Methods: Fourteen non-ischaemic heart failure patients scheduled for cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) underwent additional whole-heart coronary venography. MRI was performed 1 day before device implantation.

Prevalence of myocardial scar in patients with cryptogenic cerebral ischemic events and patent foramen ovale.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of subclinical myocardial infarctions with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) after cryptogenic cerebral ischemic events.

Background: A thrombotic mass passing a PFO may embolize in cerebral but also in coronary arteries, resulting in both cerebral and myocardial ischemic events. CMRI with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) analysis is the most sensitive imaging technique to detect small myocardial infarctions.

Results of intracoronary stem cell therapy after acute myocardial infarction.

To assess the effect of autologous bone-marrow cell (BMC) therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction in a rigorous double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Patients with reperfusion >6 hours after symptom onset were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive intracoronary BMC or placebo therapy 5 to 7 days after symptom onset. The patients were stratified according to age, acute myocardial infarction localization, and left ventricular (LV) function.

Volume-targeted and whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography using an intravascular contrast agent.

Purpose: To compare volume-targeted and whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) after the administration of an intravascular contrast agent.

Materials And Methods: Six healthy adult subjects underwent a navigator-gated and -corrected (NAV) free breathing volume-targeted cardiac-triggered inversion recovery (IR) 3D steady-state free precession (SSFP) coronary MRA sequence (t-CMRA) (spatial resolution = 1 x 1 x 3 mm(3)) and high spatial resolution IR 3D SSFP whole-heart coronary MRA (WH-CMRA) (spatial resolution = 1 x 1 x 2 mm(3)) after the administration of an intravascular contrast agent B-22956. Subjective and objective image quality parameters including maximal visible vessel length, vessel sharpness, and visibility of coronary side branches were evaluated for both t-CMRA and WH-CMRA.

Cardiac phase-specific shimming (CPSS) for SSFP MR cine imaging at 3 T.

The application of steady-state-free-precession (SSFP) techniques at 3 T systems is still limited by their sensitivity to magnetic field inhomogeneities. Especially during imaging of the heart, the arising signal voids and distortions in the myocardium currently often limit the diagnostic value of the resulting images. Dedicated shim systems providing higher order shimming capabilities have been applied to improve the field homogeneity across the heart.

Diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance first pass perfusion imaging is equally potent in female compared to male patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women is crucial because of a lower prevalence of CAD in premenopausal women, different cardiac risk profile and pattern of CAD, lower exercise tolerance and more atypical symptoms compared to men. Therefore, we tested the diagnostic power of cardiac magnetic resonance first pass perfusion imaging (CMR-FPPI) for the diagnosis of significant coronary stenoses in females versus males.

Methods And Results: 256 consecutive patients, 77 females and 179 males with atypical or typical chest pain and intermediate risk of CAD were studied by coronary angiography and CMR-FPPI (1.

Electrocardiographic and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging parameters as predictors of a worse outcome in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Clinical parameters are weak predictors of outcome in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). We assessed the prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) parameters in addition to conventional clinical and electrocardiographic characteristics.

Methods And Results: One hundred and forty-one IDC patients were studied.

Impact of percutaneous device implantation for closure of patent foramen ovale on valve insufficiencies.

Background: In patients with percutaneous device implantation for closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO), a 10% incidence of new or worsened aortic regurgitation within 12 months has been reported with echocardiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is a powerful noninvasive tool to quantify volume and fraction of valve insufficiencies. We studied the acute and long-term impact of percutaneous device implantation for PFO closure on valve insufficiencies in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Cardiac involvement after respiratory tract viral infection--detection by cardiac magnetic resonance.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to investigate whether cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging can detect early myocardial tissue edema as a first step in the development of myocarditis.

Methods: We examined 36 consecutive patients who were presented with symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and/or palpitations after respiratory tract infection but normal left ventricular function and compared these patients with 21 consecutive controls without acute symptoms. Electrocardiogram-triggered, T2-weighted, fast spin echo triple-inversion recovery sequences were performed in all patients.

Characterization of patients with acute chest pain using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether CMRI provides characteristic findings in patients with acute chest pain suffering from ST-elevation-myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), acute myocarditis or Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.

Patients And Methods: 230 consecutive patients with acute chest pain underwent cardiac catheterization followed by CMRI within median 5 days. Patients were classified to suffer from STEMI (n = 102), NSTEMI (n = 89), acute myocarditis (n = 27), or Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (n = 12) on the synopsis of all clinical data.

Adenosine stress first pass perfusion for the detection of coronary artery disease in patients with aortic stenosis: a feasibility study.

Detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using adenosine stress first pass perfusion in patients with aortic stenosis in comparison with invasive angiography. Twenty-three consecutive patients (15 male, mean age 68 +/- 12 years) with relevant aortic stenosis (aortic valve area 0.90 +/- 0.

Whole-heart coronary vein imaging: a comparison between non-contrast-agent- and contrast-agent-enhanced visualization of the coronary venous system.

The feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) whole-heart imaging of the coronary venous (CV) system was investigated. The hypothesis that coronary magnetic resonance venography (CMRV) can be improved by using an intravascular contrast agent (CA) was tested. A simplified model of the contrast in T(2)-prepared steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging was applied to calculate optimal T(2)-preparation durations for the various deoxygenation levels expected in venous blood.

Magnetic resonance imaging to assess acute changes in atrial and ventricular parameters after transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects.

Purpose: To evaluate acute changes in atrial and ventricular parameters by the use of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with percutaneous transcatheter atrial septal defects (ASD) closure.

Materials And Methods: The study included 14 patients (six males and eight females, 45 +/- 18 years) with congenital ASD. Cardiac MRI (1.

Assessment of myocardial perfusion for detection of coronary artery stenoses by steady-state, free-precession magnetic resonance first-pass imaging.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic impact of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) first-pass perfusion using steady-state, free-precession (SSFP) sequences with parallel imaging (SENSE) for detection of coronary stenoses.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: University hospital, cardiac MRI and catheterisation laboratories.

Assessment of left ventricular outflow tract geometry in non-stenotic and stenotic aortic valves by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Purpose: To assess the geometry and area of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) in non-stenotic and stenotic aortic valves and to determine the aortic valve area (AVA) in non-stenotic valves by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a modified continuity equation.

Methods: Twenty patients (10 male, mean age 54.8 +/- 15 years) without known aortic valve disease and 10 patients (7 male, mean age 65.

Myocardial perfusion reserve in cardiovascular magnetic resonance: Correlation to coronary microvascular dysfunction.

The present study examined the association of myocardial perfusion reserve index (MPRI) in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and serum levels of markers of inflammation or endothelial activation. Twelve patients with typical angina pectoris without coronary artery disease were enrolled in this study, and CMR perfusion was analyzed using a steady-state-free-precession sequence with 3 short axis slices per heartbeat during first pass of 0.025 mmol Gadolinium-DTPA/kg body weight.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and transesophageal echocardiography in patients with transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale.

Objectives: We studied the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) before and after closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with cryptogenic ischemic events.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is a powerful noninvasive tool for detailed assessment of cardiac anatomy and function. The relevance of CMRI compared with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in patients undergoing transcatheter PFO closure has not been evaluated so far.