Deep Learning-Based Automated Labeling of Coronary Segments for Structured Reporting of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography in Accordance With Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Guidelines.

Purpose: To evaluate a novel deep learning (DL)-based automated coronary labeling approach for structured reporting of coronary artery disease according to the guidelines of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (CT) on coronary CT angiography (CCTA).

Patients And Methods: A retrospective cohort of 104 patients (60.3 ± 10.

Intra-individual comparison of image quality of the coronary arteries between photon-counting detector and energy-integrating detector CT systems.

Purpose: To intra-individually compare the objective and subjective image quality of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) between photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) and energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT).

Method: Consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated CCTA on an EID-CT system were prospectively enrolled for a research CCTA performed on a PCD-CT system within 30 days. Polychromatic images were reconstructed for both EID- and PCD-CT, while virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) were generated at 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and 70 keV for PCD-CT.

Left atrial appendage volume is an independent predictor of atrial arrhythmia recurrence following cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation in persistent atrial fibrillation.

Purpose: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in persistent AF (persAF), and cryoballoon PVI emerged as an initial ablation strategy. Symptomatic atrial arrhythmia recurrence following successful PVI in persAF is observed more frequently than in paroxysmal AF. Predictors for arrhythmia recurrence following cryoballoon PVI for persAF are not well described, and the role of left atrial appendage (LAA) anatomy is uncertain.

Radiation Dose Reduction for Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring Using a Virtual Noniodine Algorithm on Photon-Counting Detector Computed-Tomography Phantom Data.

On the basis of the hypothesis that virtual noniodine (VNI)-based coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) is feasible at reduced radiation doses, this study assesses the impact of radiation dose reduction on the accuracy of this VNI algorithm on a photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT. In a systematic in vitro setting, a phantom for CACS simulating three chest sizes was scanned on a clinical PCD-CT. The standard radiation dose was chosen at volumetric CT dose indices (CTDI) of 1.

Gender Differences in Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Plaque Composition by Coronary CT Angiography: Association with Cardiovascular Outcome.

To investigate gender differences in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and plaque composition by coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and the association with cardiovascular outcome. Data of 352 patients (64.2 ± 10.

Association of epicardial adipose tissue with coronary CT angiography plaque parameters on cardiovascular outcome in patients with and without diabetes mellitus.

Background And Aims: We aimed to evaluate the association of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) with coronary CT angiography (CCTA) plaque parameters on cardiovascular outcome in patients with and without diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Data of 353 patients (62.9 ± 10.

Serial Changes in Coronary Plaque Formation Using CT Angiography in Patients Undergoing PCSK9-Inhibitor Therapy With 1-year Follow-up.

Purpose: Previous studies have shown positive effects of intensive low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-lowering therapy on atheroma volume using invasive intravascular ultrasound. This study describes the changes in coronary plaque composition on coronary computed tomography angiography in patients treated with proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study, coronary plaques were analyzed using third-generation dual-source computed tomography before and after 1 year of PCSK9-inhibitor treatment.

Impact of machine-learning-based coronary computed tomography angiography-derived fractional flow reserve on decision-making in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Objectives: To evaluate feasibility and diagnostic performance of coronary CT angiography (CCTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) for detection of significant coronary artery disease (CAD) and decision-making in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to potentially avoid additional pre-TAVR invasive coronary angiography (ICA).

Methods: Consecutive patients with severe AS (n = 95, 78.6 ± 8.

[Morphological and functional diagnostics of coronary artery disease by computed tomography].

Computed tomography coronary angiography (cCTA) is a safe option for the noninvasive exclusion of significant coronary stenoses in patients with a low or moderate pretest probability for coronary artery disease (CAD). Furthermore, it also allows functional and morphological assessment of coronary stenoses. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines on the diagnosis and management of chronic coronary syndrome published in 2019 have strengthened the importance of cCTA in this context and for this reason it has experienced a considerable upgrade.

One-year outcomes of CCTA alone versus machine learning-based FFR for coronary artery disease: a single-center, prospective study.

Objectives: To explore downstream management and outcomes of machine learning (ML)-based CT derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) strategy compared with an anatomical coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) alone assessment in participants with intermediate coronary artery stenosis.

Methods: In this prospective study conducted from April 2018 to March 2019, participants were assigned to either the CCTA or FFR group. The primary endpoint was the rate of invasive coronary angiography (ICA) that demonstrated non-obstructive disease at 90 days.

Prognostic value of epicardial adipose tissue volume in combination with coronary plaque and flow assessment for the prediction of major adverse cardiac events.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether EAT volume in combination with coronary CT angiography (CCTA)-derived plaque quantification and CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) has prognostic implication with major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

Methods: Patients (n = 117, 58 ± 10 years, 61% male) who had previously undergone invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and CCTA were retrospectively analyzed. Follow-up was performed to record MACE.

Additive value of epicardial adipose tissue quantification to coronary CT angiography-derived plaque characterization and CT fractional flow reserve for the prediction of lesion-specific ischemia.

Objectives: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) from coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is strongly associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated the additive value of EAT volume to coronary plaque quantification and CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) to predict lesion-specific ischemia.

Methods: Patients (n = 128, 60.

Cryoballoon Ablation Strategy in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Cryoballoon ablation is established for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). The objective was to evaluate CBA strategy in consecutive patients with persistent AF in the initial AF ablation procedure. Prospectively, patients with symptomatic persistent AF scheduled for AF ablation all underwent cryoballoon PVI.

Prognostic Utility of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography-derived Plaque Information on Long-term Outcome in Patients With and Without Diabetes Mellitus.

Purpose: To investigate the long-term prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA)-derived plaque information on major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with and without diabetes mellitus.

Materials And Methods: In all, 64 patients with diabetes (63.3±10.

Cardiac computed tomography angiography-derived analysis of left atrial appendage morphology and left atrial dimensions for the prediction of atrial fibrillation recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation.

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) is a potential source of atrial fibrillation (AF) triggers.

Hypothesis: LAA morphology and dimensions are associated with AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Methods: From cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA), left atrial (LA), pulmonary vein (PV), and LAA anatomy were assessed in cryoballoon ablation (CBA) patients.

Disruptions in global network segregation and integration in adolescents and young adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a significant public health problem that is associated with a broad range of physical, neurocognitive, and behavioral effects resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been an important tool for advancing our knowledge of abnormal brain structure and function in individuals with FASD. However, whereas only a small number of studies have applied graph theory-based network analysis to resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data in individuals with FASD additional research in this area is needed.

Influence of coronary stenosis location on diagnostic performance of machine learning-based fractional flow reserve from CT angiography.

Background: Compared with invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR), coronary CT angiography (cCTA) is limited in detecting hemodynamically relevant lesions. cCTA-based FFR (CT-FFR) is an approach to overcome this insufficiency by use of computational fluid dynamics. Applying recent innovations in computer science, a machine learning (ML) method for CT-FFR derivation was introduced and showed improved diagnostic performance compared to cCTA alone.

Value of Machine Learning-based Coronary CT Fractional Flow Reserve Applied to Triple-Rule-Out CT Angiography in Acute Chest Pain.

Purpose: To evaluate the additional value of noninvasive artificial intelligence (AI)-based CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT FFR), derived from triple-rule-out coronary CT angiography for acute chest pain (ACP) in the emergency department (ED) setting.

Materials And Methods: AI-based CT FFR from triple-rule-out CT angiography data sets was retrospectively obtained in 159 of 271 eligible patients (102 men; mean age, 57.0 years ± 9.

Non-invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) in the evaluation of acute chest pain - Concepts and first experiences.

Objective: To evaluate 30 day rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) utilizing cCTA and FFR for evaluation of patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with acute chest pain.

Materials And Methods: Patients between the ages of 18-95 years who underwent clinically indicated cCTA and FFR in the evaluation of acute chest pain in the emergency department were retrospectively evaluated for 30 day MACE, repeat presentation/admission for chest pain, revascularization, and additional testing.

Results: A total of 59 patients underwent CCTA and subsequent FFR for the evaluation of acute chest pain in the ED over the enrollment period.

Impact of age on the outcome of cryoballoon ablation as the primary approach in the interventional treatment of atrial fibrillation: Insights from a large all-comer study.

Introduction: The objective was to analyze the impact of patient age on clinical characteristics, procedural results, safety, and outcome of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) as the primary approach in the interventional treatment of symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: The single-center prospective observational study investigated consecutive patients who underwent initial left atrial ablation for symptomatic paroxysmal (PAF) or persistent AF (persAF). Age groups (A-F) of less than 40, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and more than or equal to 80 years were evaluated.

Serial coronary CT angiography-derived fractional flow reserve and plaque progression can predict long-term outcomes of coronary artery disease.

Objective: To investigate the utility of coronary CT angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) and plaque progression in patients undergoing serial coronary CT angiography for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated patients suspected or known coronary artery disease who underwent serial coronary CT angiography examinations between January 2006 and December 2017 and followed up until June 2019. The primary endpoint was MACE, defined as acute coronary syndrome, rehospitalization due to progressive angina, percutaneous coronary intervention, or cardiac death.