Preferential patterns of myocardial iron overload by multislice multiecho T*2 CMR in thalassemia major patients.

T*(2) multislice multiecho cardiac MR allows quantification of the segmental distribution of myocardial iron overload. This study aimed to determine if there were preferential patterns of myocardial iron overload in thalassemia major. Five hundred twenty-three thalassemia major patients underwent cardiac MR.

Multicenter validation of the magnetic resonance T2* technique for segmental and global quantification of myocardial iron.

Purpose: To assess the transferability of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) multislice multiecho T2(*) technique for global and segmental measurement of iron overload in thalassemia patients.

Materials And Methods: Multiecho T2(*) sequences were installed on six MRI scanners. Five healthy subjects (n = 30) were scanned at each site; five thalassemia major (TM) patients were scanned at the reference site and were rescanned locally (n = 25) within 1 month.

Diagnostic accuracy and clinical relevance of brain natriuretic peptide assay in pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases.

Background: The clinical usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) assay in congenital heart diseases is still controversial. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical relevance of this assay in different cardiovascular hemodynamic conditions in pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases.

Materials And Methods: BNP was measured in 173 healthy individuals and in 382 pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases.

Evaluation of a web-based network for reproducible T2* MRI assessment of iron overload in thalassemia.

Purpose: To build and evaluate a national network able to improve the care of thalassemia, a genetic disorder in haemoglobin synthesis often associated with iron accumulation in a variety of organs, due to the continuous blood transfusions.

Methods: The MIOT (Myocardial Iron Overload in Thalassemia) network is constituted by thalassemia and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) centers. Thalassemia centers are responsible for patient recruitment and collection of anamnestic and clinical data.

Accurate segmentation of subcutaneous and intermuscular adipose tissue from MR images of the thigh.

Purpose: To describe and evaluate a computer-assisted method for assessing the quantity and distribution of adipose tissue in thigh by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: Twenty obese subjects were imaged on a Philips Achieva 1.5T scanner by a fast spin-echo (FSE) sequence.

Age-related oxidative stress modulation by smoking habit and obesity.

Objective: To evaluate whether obesity and smoking habit may accelerate the age-related increase of oxidative stress.

Methods: The Oxidative-INDEX, a score reflecting both oxidative and antioxidant counterparts, was estimated in 179 subjects (50 males, aged 16-79 years).

Results: Oxidative stress results were elevated in obese and smoker subjects.

An oxidative stress score as a combined measure of the pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant counterparts in patients with coronary artery disease.

Unlabelled: Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis and development of atherosclerosis.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between a novel oxidative stress index (reflecting both oxidative and anti-oxidant counterparts) with traditional cardiovascular risk factors and C-reactive protein (CRP) in coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: 100 angiographically proven CAD and 70 control subjects (mean age: 65+/-10 years, 110 males), underwent a global cardiovascular risk assessment and serum CRP and oxidative stress estimation.