Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Human Stellate Ganglion.

Reports of visualization of the stellate ganglion via magnetic resonance imaging date back to the early 1990s. However, such imaging has not been fully utilized, presumably due to vagueness of its topographic anatomy, small size, suboptimal image quality, and limited reproducibility. Considering the recent advancements in the field of neuroradiological imaging, including magnetic resonance neurography, and emerging interests regarding cardiac neuroanatomy and neuromodulation, such as stellate ganglion phototherapy, it is time to revisit the anatomy and imaging of the stellate ganglion, as it largely controls the sympathetic tone of the heart.

Noradrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the normal human heart and changes associated with cardiomyopathy.

Autonomic nerves are crucial in cardiac function and pathology. However, data on the distribution of cholinergic and noradrenergic nerves in normal and pathologic human hearts is lacking. Nonfailing donor hearts were pressure-perfusion fixed, imaged, and dissected.

The vestigial fold in humans: Characterization of a potential novel target for selective cardiac sympathetic denervation.

Background: The vestigial fold is an epicardial structure related to the posterior hilum of the heart, containing the remnant of the left superior vena cava. It is the superior continuation of the ligament/vein of Marshall. Although neural structures along the human ligament/vein of Marshall have been characterized, those within the human vestigial fold remain unexplored.

Rare bilateral anatomical variation of the lateral thoracic artery: duplicated arteries with unique origins and pathways.

The lateral thoracic artery (LTA) is one of six main branches that originate from the axillary artery. The LTA has a textbook origin from the 2nd part of the axillary artery posterior to the pectoralis minor muscle. Contrary to the textbook origin, there are numerous reports of LTA variants that originate from the thoracoacromial artery, subscapular artery, and thoracodorsal artery, or even its duplication.

Moving from voltage mapping to scar mapping using novel "near-field" metrics.

Background: In ventricular arrhythmia ablation procedures, traditional voltage mapping calculates overall peak-to-peak measurements. However, this methodology incorporates multiple signal components that do not distinguish near-field vs far-field components.

Objective: This study aimed to determine how the use of local bipolar measurements as identified by the first derivative of voltage over time (dV/dT) affects traditional voltage mapping characteristics.

Use of optimal fluoroscopic angulation to facilitate effective pulsed field ablation in a patient with atrial fibrillation.

The circular-shaped PulseSelect™ PFA catheter has demonstrated comparable efficacy to traditional thermal catheter ablation in achieving pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), while preventing thermally mediated complications. However, this catheter does not have any objective parameters to confirm real-time tissue-catheter contact. We report a case in which PVI was achieved through PFA using optimal biplane fluoroscopic angulations which were more useful for accurately assessing and adjusting the position and rotation of the circular catheter electrodes than the conventional fluoroscopic angulations.

Ethical Use of Cadaveric Images in Anatomical Textbooks, Atlases, and Journals: A Consensus Response From Authors and Editors.

Nowadays, consent to use donor bodies for medical education and research is obtained from the body donors and their families before the donation. Recently, the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) published guidelines that could restrict the appearance of cadaveric images in commercial anatomical resources such as textbooks and other educational products. These guidelines state that the donor must expressly consent to using such images for this purpose.

Understanding Cardiac Anatomy and Imaging to Improve Safety of Procedures: The Femoral Artery and Vein: Part 2.

This paper revisits and shows comprehensive femoral access site anatomy with a combination of images obtained from detailed cadaveric dissection, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, ultrasound, and 3-dimensional printings. Part 2 focuses on the fluoroscopic anatomy, pelvic cavity, and complications. In addition, a file for 3-dimensional printing is provided.

Understanding Cardiac Anatomy and Imaging to Improve Safety of Procedures: The Femoral Artery and Vein: Part 1.

We revisit and show comprehensive femoral access site anatomy with a combination of images obtained from detailed cadaveric dissection, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, ultrasound, and 3-dimensional printings. Part 1 focuses on the femoral triangle, femoral bifurcation, fluoroscopic and/or ultrasonographic anatomy, and branches of the femoral artery. Profound understanding of this region is fundamental to facilitate safe procedures and to avoid unnecessary complications.

Pipeline for Multi-Scale Three-Dimensional Anatomic Study of the Human Heart.

Detailed study of non-failing human hearts rejected for transplantation provides a unique opportunity to perform structural analyses across microscopic and macroscopic scales. These techniques include tissue clearing (modified immunolabeling-enabled three-dimensional (3D) imaging of solvent-cleared organs) and immunohistochemical staining. Mesoscopic examination procedures include stereoscopic dissection and micro-computed tomographic (CT) scanning.

Osteopontin stabilization and collagen containment slows amorphous calcium phosphate transformation during human aortic valve leaflet calcification.

Calcification of aortic valve leaflets is a growing mortality threat for the 18 million human lives claimed globally each year by heart disease. Extensive research has focused on the cellular and molecular pathophysiology associated with calcification, yet the detailed composition, structure, distribution and etiological history of mineral deposition remains unknown. Here transdisciplinary geology, biology and medicine (GeoBioMed) approaches prove that leaflet calcification is driven by amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), ACP at the threshold of transformation toward hydroxyapatite (HAP) and cholesterol biomineralization.

Cardiac blood vessels and irreversible electroporation: findings from pulsed field ablation.

The clinical use of irreversible electroporation in invasive cardiac laboratories, termed pulsed field ablation (PFA), is gaining early enthusiasm among electrophysiologists for the management of both atrial and ventricular arrhythmogenic substrates. Though electroporation is regularly employed in other branches of science and medicine, concerns regarding the acute and permanent vascular effects of PFA remain. This comprehensive review aims to summarize the preclinical and adult clinical data published to date on PFA's effects on pulmonary veins and coronary arteries.