Feasibility of epicardial adipose tissue quantification in non-ECG-gated low-radiation-dose CT: comparison with prospectively ECG-gated cardiac CT.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an important indicator of cardiovascular risk. This parameter is generally assessed on ECG-gated computed tomography (CT) images.

Purpose: To evaluate feasibility and reliability of EAT quantification on non-gated thoracic low-radiation-dose CT examinations with respect to prospectively ECG-gated cardiac CT acquisition.

Emphysema presence, severity, and distribution has little impact on the clinical presentation of a cohort of patients with mild to moderate COPD.

Background: Phenotypic characterization of patients with COPD may have potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. Available information on the relationship between emphysema and the clinical presentation in patients with COPD is limited to advanced stages of the disease. The objective of this study was to describe emphysema presence, severity, and distribution and its impact on clinical presentation of patients with mild to moderate COPD.

Assessment of left atrial volumes and function in orthotopic heart transplant recipients by dual-source CT: comparison with MRI.

Introduction: To compare left atrial performance with dual-source CT (DSCT) with respect to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in orthotopic heart transplant recipients.

Methods: Twenty-nine consecutive heart transplant recipients (27 male; mean age 64.1 +/- 13 years; mean time from transplantation 122.