Effect of active vitamin-D on left ventricular mass index: Results of a randomized controlled trial in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Background: Active vitamin-D deficiency is a potential modifiable risk factor for increased ventricular mass. We explored the effects of active vitamin-D (calcitriol) treatment on left ventricular mass in patients with type-2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: We performed a 48-week duration single center randomized double-blind parallel group trial examining the impact of calcitriol, 0.

Clinical Application of Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Perfusion Imaging by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.

Functionally significant coronary artery disease impairs myocardial blood flow and can be detected non-invasively by myocardial perfusion imaging. While multiple myocardial perfusion imaging modalities exist, the high spatial and temporal resolution of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), combined with its freedom from ionising radiation make it an attractive option. Dynamic contrast enhanced CMR perfusion imaging has become a well-validated non-invasive tool for the assessment and risk stratification of patients with coronary artery disease and is recommended by international guidelines.

The impact of dark-blood versus conventional bright-blood late gadolinium enhancement on the myocardial ischemic burden.

Purpose: In perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), ischemic burden predicts adverse prognosis and is often used to guide revascularization. Ischemic scar tissue can cause stress perfusion defects that do not represent myocardial ischemia. Dark-blood late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) methods detect more scar than conventional bright-blood LGE, however, the impact on the myocardial ischemic burden estimation is unknown and evaluated in this study.

Influence of the arterial input sampling location on the diagnostic accuracy of cardiovascular magnetic resonance stress myocardial perfusion quantification.

Background: Quantification of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) perfusion requires sampling of the arterial input function (AIF). While variation in the AIF sampling location is known to impact quantification by CMR and positron emission tomography (PET) perfusion, there is no evidence to support the use of a specific location based on their diagnostic accuracy in the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of stress MBF and MPR for different AIF sampling locations for the detection of abnormal myocardial perfusion with expert visual assessment as the reference.

Left atrial intramural hematoma after percutaneous coronary intervention.

We describe a rare complication of a complex chronic total occlusion recanalization procedure. Perforation of a distal right coronary artery collateral results in a left atrial intramural hematoma with consequent circulatory collapse. Access to prompt transoesophageal echocardiography and urgent surgical intervention were lifesaving and the case highlights possible implications on the planning of complex chronic total occlusion recanalization procedures.