Publications by authors named "Remedios Rios"
Aims: To define characteristic PET/CTA patterns of FDG uptake and anatomic changes following prosthetic heart valves (PVs) implantation over time, to help not to misdiagnose post-operative inflammation and avoid false-positive cases.
Methods And Results: Prospective evaluation of 37 post-operative patients without suspected infection that underwent serial cardiac PET/CTA examinations at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery, in which metabolic features (FDG uptake distribution pattern and intensity) and anatomic changes were evaluated. Standardized uptake values (SUVs) were obtained and a new measure, the valve uptake index (VUI), (SUVmax-SUVmean)/SUVmax, was tested to homogenize SUV results.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of two types of bioprosthetic heart valves: the Mitroflow LX (no anti-calcification treatment) and the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Magna (with anti-calcification treatment).
- Over an average follow-up of about 4 years, the P-Magna valve demonstrated better overall survival rates (69.1% vs. 51.9%) and significantly lower rates of structural valve disease compared to the Mitroflow LX (0.8% vs. 18.5%).
- Despite the higher early rates of structural valve disease and reoperations for Mitroflow LX patients, their valve-related survival rates were not significantly affected when compared to P-Magna.