Feasibility and Robustness of 3T Magnetic Resonance Angiography Using Modified Dixon Fat Suppression in Patients With Known or Suspected Peripheral Artery Disease.

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) is a well-established non-invasive imaging technique for the assessment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). A subtractionless method using modified Dixon (mDixon) fat suppression showed superior image quality at 1.5T over the common subtraction method, using a three-positions stepping table approach with a single dose of contrast agent.

Short membranous septum length in bicuspid aortic valve stenosis increases the risk of conduction disturbances.

Background: Distinct anatomical features predispose bicuspid AS patients to conduction disturbances after TAVR. This study sought to evaluate whether the incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) and left bundle branch block (LBBB) in patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis (AS) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is related to an anatomical association between bicuspid AS and short membranous septal (MS) length.

Methods: Sixty-seven consecutive patients with bicuspid AS from a Bicuspid AS TAVR multicenter registry and 67 propensity-matched patients with tricuspid AS underwent computed tomography before TAVR.

Effect of Intramural Course of Coronary Arteries Assessed by Computed Tomography Angiography in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

This study evaluated the prevalence, anatomical pattern, and prognostic implications of an intramural course of the coronary arteries in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). The study population consisted of 92 patients with HC and 100 patients without HC. The presence of an intramural course of the coronary arteries was evaluated by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), and its length and depth were measured.

Prevalence and morphology of myocardial crypts in normal and hypertrophied myocardium by computed tomography.

Myocardial crypts can be recognized in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using magnetic resonance imaging, but similar studies using computed tomography (CT) are sparse. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and morphology of myocardial crypts in patients with HCM, arterial hypertension, and aortic valve stenosis using contrast-enhanced CT. We also investigated the added value of a finding of myocardial crypts on CT scan to the diagnosis of HCM.

Iliofemoral artery lumen volume assessment with three dimensional multi-detector computed tomography and vascular complication risk in transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) carries a risk of Vascular Complications (VCs) at the access site. The currently used measures for assessing the risk for VCs are not accurate enough, and sometimes fail to predict them. We therefore aimed to examine whether Iliofemoral artery lumen volume (IFV) assessment with 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) predicts VCs after transfemoral TAVR.

The impact of body mass index on clinical outcomes after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Several studies indicated that an elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with a lower rate of mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the existence of the obesity paradox in AMI patients remains controversial.

Methods: We examined the association of BMI and clinical outcomes in 2157 patient with AMI (mean follow-up of 26 months).

Hyponatremia and long-term mortality in survivors of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Hyponatremia, a marker of neurohormonal activation, is a common electrolyte disorder among patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The long-term prognostic value of hyponatremia during the acute phase of infarction is not known.

Methods: We studied 978 patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and without a history of heart failure who survived the index event.

Anti-fibrotic activity of NK cells in experimental liver injury through killing of activated HSC.

Background/aims: We have investigated the role of natural killer (NK) cells in hepatic fibrogenesis. Mouse NK cells express both inhibitory/activating-killing-immunoglobulin-related-receptors (iKIR/aKIR) specific for Class-I-molecules.

Methods: Hepatic fibrosis induced by carbon-tetrachloride (CCl4) was compared between wild-type (WT) male-BALBc; combined-immunodeficiency (SCID, lacking B/T-cells); and SCID-BEIGE-mice (lacking B/T/NK cells), and naive mice.