Cross-sectional Areas of the Thoracic Aorta in Children and Adolescents With Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot Obtained by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Angiography.

Purpose: Dilatation of the thoracic aorta is a well-known finding in corrected Tetralogy of Fallot. Complications are rare but can be life-threatening. Standard 1-dimensional (1D) measurements have several limitations.

CT evaluation prior to transapical aortic valve replacement: semi-automatic versus manual image segmentation.

To compare the performance of semi-automatic versus manual segmentation for ECG-triggered cardiovascular computed tomography (CT) examinations prior to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), with focus on the speed and precision of experienced versus inexperienced observers. The preoperative ECG-triggered CT data of 30 consecutive patients who were scheduled for TAVR were included. All datasets were separately evaluated by two radiologists with 1 and 5 years of experience (novice and expert, respectively) in cardiovascular CT using an evaluation software program with or without a semi-automatic TAVR workflow.

The relation between hypointense core, microvascular obstruction and intramyocardial haemorrhage in acute reperfused myocardial infarction assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Intramyocardial haemorrhage (IMH) and microvascular obstruction (MVO) represent reperfusion injury after reperfused ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with prognostic impact and "hypointense core" (HIC) appearance in T2-weighted images. We aimed to distinguish between IMH and MVO by using T2 (*)-weighted cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and analysed influencing factors for IMH development.

Methods And Results: A total of 151 patients with acute STEMI underwent CMR after primary angioplasty.

Assessment of sub-clinical acute cellular rejection after heart transplantation: comparison of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and endomyocardial biopsy.

Objective: Comparing the diagnostic value of multi-sequential cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) with endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) for sub-clinical cardiac allograft rejection.

Methods: One hundred and forty-six examinations in 73 patients (mean age 53 ± 12 years, 58 men) were performed using a 1.5 Tesla system and compared to EMB.

Dynamic CT angiography after abdominal aortic endovascular aneurysm repair: influence of enhancement patterns and optimal bolus timing on endoleak detection.

Purpose: To determine the time course of enhancement patterns in the aorta and endoleaks at dynamic computed tomographic (CT) angiography as well as their effect on the endoleak detection rate in patients who have undergone abdominal aortic endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the local ethics committee and compliant with the Declaration of Helsinki. All patients gave written informed consent for the scientific analysis of their data.

Inter-individual variance and cardiac cycle dependency of aortic root dimensions and shape as assessed by ECG-gated multi-slice computed tomography in patients with severe aortic stenosis prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation: is it crucial for correct sizing?

To evaluate the inter-individual variance and the variability of the aortic root dimensions during the cardiac cycle by computed tomography (CT) in patients with severe aortic stenosis prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Fifty-six patients (m/w = 16/40, 81 ± 6.8 years), scheduled for a transapical aortic valve implantation with available preprocedural ECG-gated CT were retrospectively included.

Comparison of aortic root measurements in patients undergoing transapical aortic valve implantation (TA-AVI) using three-dimensional rotational angiography (3D-RA) and multislice computed tomography (MSCT): differences and variability.

To evaluate for the first time the degree of compliance between conventional multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and three-dimensional rotational angiography (3D-RA) in measuring relevant dimensions of the aortic annulus, the aortic root and the thoracic aorta in patients undergoing TA-AVI. Twenty-seven patients (82 ± 11 years) with severe aortic stenosis received contrast enhanced ECG gated MSCT prior to TA-AVI and intra-procedural rotational angiography. The aortic annulus size, the distance to the coronary ostia and diameters of the aortic root and the thoracic aorta were measured with both methods by two observers blinded to each other.

Dynamic CT angiography after abdominal aortic endovascular aneurysm repair: differences in contrast agent dynamics in the aorta and endoleaks--preliminary results.

Purpose: To assess differences in aortic and endoleak enhancement in patients after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) with dynamic computed tomography (CT) angiography.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one consecutive patients (mean age, 74.5 y ± 6; range, 61-88 y) with endoleaks after EVAR of the abdominal aorta were examined on a second-generation dual-source CT unit with 10 unidirectional scan phases (temporal resolution, 5 s; 80 kV; 120 reference-mAs; z-axis field of view, 283 mm), followed by a venous scan phase.

Impact of heart rate and rhythm on radiation exposure in prospectively ECG triggered computed tomography.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of different heart rates and arrhythmias on scanner performance, image acquisition and applied radiation exposure in prospectively ECG triggered computed tomography (pCT).

Materials And Methods: An ECG simulator (EKG Phantom 320, Müller & Sebastiani Elektronik GmbH, Munich, Germany) was used to generate different heart rhythms and arrhythmias: sinus rhythm (SR) at 45, 60, 75, 90 and 120/min, supraventricular arrhythmias (e.g.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for the assessment of ventricular function, geometry, and viability before and after surgical ventricular reconstruction.

Objective: Surgical ventricular reconstruction is a treatment option for patients with apical akinesia or dyskinesia. The Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure trial recently demonstrated its safety but no added benefit to bypass surgery, although the trial's inclusion criteria did not contain shape or viability parameters. However, we evaluated cardiac magnetic resonance-derived parameters as potential predictors of function after surgical ventricular reconstruction.

Diagnostic performance of prospectively ECG triggered versus retrospectively ECG gated 64-slice computed tomography coronary angiography in a heterogeneous patient population.

Objective: To compare diagnostic performance and applicability of prospectively versus retrospectively gated 64-slice computed tomography coronary angiography (pro-CTCA vs. retro-CTCA) in a heterogeneous patient population compared to invasive coronary angiography.

Methods: 77 patients referred to an ECG-gated-CT of the chest were retrospectively included.

Fluid-dynamic modeling of the human left ventricle: methodology and application to surgical ventricular reconstruction.

Background: The efficacy of surgical ventricular reconstruction (SVR) for ischemic cardiomyopathy has never been truly quantified. Methods to assess ventricular flow have not been applied to these patients. The objective is to develop a volume-independent technique for assessing the effects of ischemic remodeling and SVR on left ventricular blood flow dynamics.

Covered rupture of the free left ventricular wall or "only" thrombus in a true aneurysm?

Complications after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) concerning the wall structure may be a true aneurysm, intramyocardial dissection, rupture of the free left ventricular wall covered by pericardium or formation of pseudoaneurysm. Differentiation between these complications of AMI may be difficult as shown by the following case report but is of paramount importance because of the different management.

Cardio navigation: planning, simulation, and augmented reality in robotic assisted endoscopic bypass grafting.

Background: The aim of this study is to optimize the set-up and port placement in robotic surgery and enhance intraoperative orientation by video overlay of the angiographic coronary tree.

Methods: In three mongrel dogs and two sheep an electrocardiogram-triggered computed tomographic scan and coronary angiography were performed after placing cutaneous fiducials. The regions of interest (ie, heart, ribs, coronaries, internal thoracic artery) were segmented semiautomatically to create a virtual model of the animal.