Strong Diagnostic Performance of Single Energy 256-row Multidetector Computed Tomography with Deep Learning Image Reconstruction in the Assessment of Myocardial Fibrosis.

Objective Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for evaluating abnormal myocardial fibrosis and extracellular volume (ECV) of the left ventricular myocardium (LVM), a similar evaluation has recently become possible using computed tomography (CT). In this study, we investigated the diagnostic accuracy of a new 256-row multidetector CT with a low tube-voltage single energy scan and deep-learning-image reconstruction (DLIR) in detecting abnormal late enhancement (LE) in LVM. Methods We evaluated the diagnostic performance of CT for detecting LE in LVM and compared the results with those of MRI as a reference.

Extracellular Volume Fraction by Computed Tomography Predicts Prognosis After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Extracellular volume fraction (ECV) on magnetic resonance imaging can predict prognosis after aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). However, the usefulness of ECV on computed tomography (CT) for patients who have undergone transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is unclear, so we investigated whether ECV analysis on CT is associated with clinical outcomes in TAVR candidates.

Methods and results: We analyzed 127 patients with severe AS who underwent preoperative CT for TAVR.

A new composite indicator consisting of left ventricular extracellular volume, N-terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide, and left ventricular end-diastolic volume is useful for predicting reverse remodeling after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Recently, myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) analysis has been measurable on computed tomography (CT) using new software. We evaluated the use of cardiac CT to estimate the myocardial ECV of left ventricular (LV) myocardium (LVM) to predict reverse remodeling (RR) in cases of atrial fibrillation (AF) after catheter ablation (CA). Four hundred and seven patients underwent CA for AF in our institution from April 2014 to Feb 2021.

Importance of the Multimodality Evaluation of a Double-chambered Right Ventricle for Surgical Indications on Admission for Acute Myocardial Infarction.

We treated a female patient known to have a double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV) who presented with symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Emergent coronary artery catheterization revealed acute right coronary artery (RCA) occlusion and proximal left anterior descending (LAD) stenosis. We performed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the RCA occlusion.

An Increased Diagnostic Accuracy of Significant Coronary Artery Stenosis Using 320-slice Computed Tomography with Model-based Iterative Reconstruction in Cases with Severely Calcified Coronary Arteries.

Objective High-quality images can be obtained with 320-slice computed tomography (CT) with model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR). We therefore investigated the diagnostic accuracy of 320-slice CT with MBIR for detecting significant coronary artery stenosis. Methods This was a retrospective study of 160 patients who underwent coronary CT and invasive coronary angiography (ICA).

Coexistence of Marfan-like Connective Tissue Disease with Morphologic Left Ventricular Non-compaction.

We treated a man with co-incident Marfan-like connective tissue disease with morphologic left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC). He underwent valve-sparing aortic root replacement because of aortic root dilation at 43 years old. Pathological findings of the aorta revealed cystic medio-necrosis, consistent with Marfan syndrome.

Long-term treatment with fidarestat suppresses the development of diabetic retinopathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

It is important to suppress retinal vascular changes for prevention of the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy. In the present study, we investigated the dose-response effect of an aldose reductase (AR) inhibitor, fidarestat, on retinal vascular changes in the retinas of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Fidarestat (0.