Patient-specific coronary angioplasty simulations - A mixed-dimensional finite element modeling approach.

Coronary angioplasty with stent implantation is the most frequently used interventional treatment for coronary artery disease. However, reocclusion within the stent, referred to as in-stent restenosis, occurs in up to 10% of lesions. It is widely accepted that mechanical loads on the vessel wall strongly affect adaptive and maladaptive mechanisms.

Specific calcium deposition on pre-procedural CCTA at the time of percutaneous coronary intervention predicts in-stent restenosis in symptomatic patients.

Purpose: To characterize preprocedural coronary atherosclerotic lesions derived from CCTA and assess their association with in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort-study included patients who underwent CCTA for suspected coronary artery disease, subsequent index angiography including PCI and surveillance angiography within 6-8 months after the index procedure. We performed a plaque analysis of culprit lesions on CCTA using a dedicated plaque analysis software including assessment of the surrounding pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI) and compared findings between lesions with and without ISR at surveillance angiography after stenting.

Near-infrared spectroscopy-intravascular ultrasound to improve assessment of coronary artery disease severity in patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (The IMPACTavi registry): Design and rationale.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was established as a standard treatment for high-operative risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Although coronary artery disease (CAD) often coexists with AS, clinical and angiographic evaluations of stenosis severity are unreliable in this specific setting. To provide precise risk stratification of coronary lesions, combined near-infrared spectroscopy and intravascular ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS) was developed to integrate morphological and molecular information on plaque composition.

Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function using an automated analysis algorithm is feasible for beginners and experts: comparison with invasive and non-invasive methods.

Aims: Echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular function using a user-friendly automated three-dimensional algorithm is highly attractive as it promises quick and accurate diagnosis, circumventing limitations associated with visual estimation or manual biplane measurements. We sought to assess the feasibility and correlation of such automated analysis with clinically established methods.

Methods: A total of 198 patients undergoing transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with assessment of left ventricular parameters by automated software algorithm (Philips 3D-Heartmodel; 3D-HM) which additionally had either left ventricular angiography (LVA) or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) within 24 h of the TTE examination were analyzed.

Simultaneous [18F]fluoride and gadobutrol enhanced coronary positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging for in vivo plaque characterization.

Aims: 18F-sodium fluoride ([18F]fluoride) and gadobutrol are promising probes for positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characterizing coronary artery disease (CAD) activity. Unlike [18F]fluoride-PET/computed tomography (CT), the potential of PET/MR using [18F]fluoride and gadobutrol simultaneously, has so far not been evaluated. This study assessed feasibility and diagnostic potential of [18F]fluoride and gadobutrol enhanced dual-probe PET/MR in patients with CAD.

In vivo assessment of endothelial permeability of coronary lesions with variable degree of stenosis using an albumin-binding MR probe.

MR imaging with an albumin-binding probe enables the visualization of endothelial permeability and damage in the arterial system. The goal of this study was to compare signal enhancement of lesions with different grades of stenosis segments on molecular CMR in combination with the albumin-binding probe gadofosveset. This prospective clinical study included patients with symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Small Dimension-Big Impact! Nanoparticle-Enhanced Non-Invasive and Intravascular Molecular Imaging of Atherosclerosis In Vivo.

Extensive translational research has provided considerable progress regarding the understanding of atherosclerosis pathophysiology over the last decades. In contrast, implementation of molecular in vivo imaging remains highly limited. In that context, nanoparticles represent a useful tool.

Comprehensive multimodality characterization of hemodynamically significant and non-significant coronary lesions using invasive and noninvasive measures.

Background: There is limited knowledge about morphological molecular-imaging-derived parameters to further characterize hemodynamically relevant coronary lesions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe and differentiate specific parameters between hemodynamically significant and non-significant coronary lesions using various invasive and non-invasive measures.

Methods: This clinical study analyzed patients with symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent native T1-weighted CMR and gadofosveset-enhanced CMR as well as invasive coronary angiography.

Noninvasive Imaging of Endothelial Damage in Patients With Different HbA Levels: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

The aim of this study was to compare endothelial permeability, which is considered a hallmark of coronary artery disease, between patients with different HbA levels using an albumin-binding magnetic resonance (MR) probe. This cross-sectional study included 26 patients with clinical indication for X-ray angiography who were classified into three groups according to HbA level (<5.7% [<39 mmol/mol], 5.

Novel Approach for In Vivo Detection of Vulnerable Coronary Plaques Using Molecular 3-T CMR Imaging With an Albumin-Binding Probe.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the potential of the noninvasive albumin-binding probe gadofosveset-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (GE-CMR) for detection of coronary plaques that can cause acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Background: ACS are frequently caused by rupture or erosion of coronary plaques that initially do not cause hemodynamically significant stenosis and are therefore not detected by invasive x-ray coronary angiography (XCA).

Methods: A total of 25 patients with ACS or symptoms of stable coronary artery disease underwent GE-CMR, clinically indicated XCA, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) within 24 h.

Non-diagnostic coronary artery calcification and stenosis: a correlation of coronary computed tomography angiography and invasive coronary angiography.

Background Heavy coronary artery calcification (CAC) impairs diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA) and is considered to be a major limitation. Purpose To investigate the effect of non-evaluable CAC seen on cCTA on clinical decision-making by determining the degree of subsequent invasive testing and to assess the relationship between non-evaluable segments containing CAC and significant stenosis as seen in invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Material and Methods The study comprised of 356 patients who underwent cCTA and subsequent ICA within 2 months between 2005 and 2009.

Relationship of thoracic fat depots with coronary atherosclerosis and circulating inflammatory biomarkers.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship of various thoracic fat depots with the presence and extent of coronary artery plaque and circulating biomarkers.

Methods: In 342 patients (52 ± 11 years, 61% male, BMI 29.1 ± 5.

Adherence to the 2010 American College of Cardiology Foundation Appropriate Use Criteria for Cardiac Computed Tomography: Quality Analysis at a Tertiary Referral Center.

Background: In November 2010, the American College of Cardiology Foundation published revised appropriateness criteria (AC) for cardiac computed tomography (CT). We evaluated adherence to these criteria by providers of different subspecialties at a tertiary referral center.

Methods: Reports of 383 consecutive patients who underwent clinically indicated cardiac CT from December 1, 2010, to July 31, 2011, were reviewed by physicians with appropriate training in cardiac CT.

Coronary computed tomography angiography at 140 kV versus 120 kV: assessment of image quality and radiation exposure in overweight and moderately obese patients.

Background: Although a tube potential of 140 kV is available on most computed tomography (CT) scanners, its incremental diagnostic value versus 120 kV has been controversial.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the image quality and radiation exposure of cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) performed at 140 kV in comparison to CCTA at 120 kV in overweight and moderately obese patients.

Material And Methods: Eighty-eight patients who were referred for CCTA between January 2010 and May 2012 were included.

Radiation dose reduction in pediatric cardiac computed tomography: experience from a tertiary medical center.

Cardiac CT angiography (cCTA) has become an established method for the assessment of congenital heart disease. However, the potential harmful effects of ionizing radiation must be considered, particularly in younger, more radiosensitive patients. In this study, we sought to assess the temporal change in radiation doses from pediatric cCTA during an 8-year period at a tertiary medical center.

Weekly dose reports: the effects of a continuous quality improvement initiative on coronary computed tomography angiography radiation doses at a tertiary medical center.

Rationale And Objectives: Numerous protocols have been developed to reduce cardiac computed tomography angiography (cCTA) radiation dose while maintaining image quality. However, cCTA practice is highly dependent on physician and technologist experience and education. In this study, we sought to evaluate the incremental value of real-time feedback via weekly dose reports on a busy cCTA service.

Defining left ventricular noncompaction using cardiac computed tomography.

Purpose: Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a cardiomyopathy characterized by a distinctive 2-layered appearance of the myocardium because of increased trabeculation and deep intertrabecular recesses. Echocardiography serves as the initial noninvasive diagnostic test. Currently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly being used to diagnose LVNC because of its improved temporal and spatial resolution.

Feasibility of aortic valve assessment with low dose prospectively triggered adaptive systolic (PTAS) cardiac computed tomography angiography.

Background: Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) is feasible for aortic valve evaluation, but retrospective gated protocols required high radiation doses for aortic valve assessment. A prospectively triggered adaptive systolic (PTAS) cardiac CT protocol was recently described in arrhythmia using second-generation dual-source CT. In this study, we sought to evaluate the feasibility of PTAS CTA to assess the aortic valve at a low radiation dose.

Assessment of image quality and radiation dose of prospectively ECG-triggered adaptive dual-source coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA) with arrhythmia rejection algorithm in systole versus diastole: a retrospective cohort study.

In this study, we sought to evaluate the image quality and effective radiation dose of prospectively ECG-triggered adaptive systolic (PTA-systolic) dual-source CTA versus prospectively triggered adaptive diastolic (PTA-diastolic) dual-source CTA in patients of unselected heart rate and rhythm. This retrospective cohort study consisted of 41 PTA-systolic and 41 matched PTA-diastolic CTA patients whom underwent clinically indicated 128-slice dual source CTA between December 2010 to June 2012. Image quality and motion artifact score (both on a Likert scale 1-4 with 4 being the best), effective dose, and CTDIvol were compared.

Clinical experiences of delayed contrast enhancement with cardiac computed tomography: case series.

Background: Myocardial delayed enhancement (MDE) by gadolinium-enhanced cardiac MRI is well established for myocardial scar assessment in ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease. The role of MDE by cardiac CT (CT-MDE) is not yet defined.

Findings: We reviewed all clinical cases of CT-MDE at a tertiary referral center to present the cases as a case series.

Adult congenital heart disease imaging with second-generation dual-source computed tomography: initial experiences and findings.

Adult congenital heart disease patients present a unique challenge to the cardiac imager. Patients may present with both acute and chronic manifestations of their complex congenital heart disease and also require surveillance for sequelae of their medical and surgical interventions. Multimodality imaging is often required to clarify their anatomy and physiology.

Cardiac computed tomography angiography with automatic tube potential selection: effects on radiation dose and image quality.

Purpose: Automatic exposure control (AEC) algorithms are widely available in coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and have been shown to reduce radiation doses by adjusting tube current to patient size. However, the effects of anthropometry-based automatic potential selection (APS) on image quality and radiation dose are unknown. We sought to investigate the effect of an APS algorithm on coronary CTA radiation dose and image quality.