Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of a patient with an magnetic resonance imaging conditional permanent pacemaker.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used as the optimum modality for cardiac imaging. An aging population and rising numbers of patients with permanent pacemakers means many such individuals may require cardiac MRI scanning in the future. Whilst the presence of a permanent pacemaker is historically regarded as a contra-indication to MRI scanning, pacemaker systems have been developed to limit any associated risks.

Relationship of cardiac biomarkers and reversible and irreversible myocardial injury following acute myocardial infarction as determined by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can accurately depict myocardial oedema, haemorrhage, infarction and microvascular obstruction. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationships between cardiac biomarkers and reversible and irreversible myocardial injury following AMI, as determined by CMR.

Methods: Forty-eight patients admitted with AMI and successfully treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention were studied.

Timing of cardiovascular MR imaging after acute myocardial infarction: effect on estimates of infarct characteristics and prediction of late ventricular remodeling.

Purpose: To define the evolution of infarct characteristics with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and to assess which of the cardiovascular MR data acquired at day 2 or at 1 week after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is the stronger predictor of infarct size and left ventricular (LV) function measured at 3 months.

Materials And Methods: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the local research ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained. Forty-eight patients with reperfused AMI underwent cine, T2-weighted, and late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular MR imaging at days 2, 7, 30, and 90 after index presentation.

Percutaneous closure of postinfarction ventricular septal defect: cardiac magnetic resonance-guided case selection and postprocedure evaluation.

Despite modern surgical techniques, complications and early mortality remain high following postinfarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair. It is now possible to close these acquired defects percutaneously using, for example, the Amplatzer postinfarct muscular VSD device. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance is an important tool in determining appropriate case selection and device sizing as it can provide a multicomponent assessment of the VSD anatomy, ventricular volumes and function, infarct extent, and left-to-right shunt calculations.

Short-axis 2D strain from speckle tracking predicts echocardiographic response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Aims: Two-dimensional (2D) strain imaging from speckle tracking is a Doppler independent technique allowing assessment of left ventricular (LV) strain (ɛ); systolic strain rate (SRs') and early diastolic strain rate (SRe') in the radial and circumferential planes. We set out to investigate whether (i) these parameters facilitated assessment of dyssynchronous contraction and (ii) these measures could predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Methods And Results: Forty-one patients with severe, symptomatic heart failure on optimal medical therapy were recruited.