Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has become an integral modality of cardiovascular clinical care over the past two decades, and its role in the imaging-guided diagnosis and management of heart disease, cardiomyopathy[1] , cardio-oncology, and vascular disease continues to evolve.
Read Full ArticleArtificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have already made their way in cardiac imaging and are making an impact; but how far can these technologies develop in this clinical setting? Will they cement their place in cardiac imaging and continue to be utilized well into 2040? Or will newer technology take its place?
Read Full ArticleArtificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly impacted imaging modalities such as echocardiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The potential of this form of computer science has grown concurrently with the availability of large datasets, offering ways to improve patient care throughout the imaging chain.
Read Full ArticleThe high accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) compared to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in detecting coronary stenosis has been demonstrated in several studies, using interpretation by cardiovascular experts. But which results would the same studies have yielded using less experienced readers?
Read Full ArticleElectrophysiology was one of the first areas of cardiac medicine to start using artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies. In recent times, deep learning (DL) techniques have offered new possibilities in electrocardiography including the signature identification of diseases. AI advances in 3D cardiac imaging have given birth to the concept of virtual hearts and cardiac arrhythmias simulation.
Read Full ArticleCardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) plays a vital role in clinical practice in evaluating patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) when the information from echocardiography is equivocal.
Read Full ArticleFour-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (4D flow CMR) has shown great promise as a tool for assessing flow patterns. It can encode velocity in all 3 directions, representing a significant step up in flow assessment from the 1-directional non-invasive imaging modalities typically used in clinical practice.
Read Full ArticleCardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) offers non-invasive imaging of the heart’s structure and function. The technique’s wide range of applications - such as myocardial function evaluation, morphological anatomy delineation, and pressure and flow evaluation for cardiac valve dysfunction – has made it central to clinical management strategy.
Read Full ArticleCOVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on healthcare, and one area of diagnosis and management that has been affected is imaging. Cardiac computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are two imaging modalities that have been utilized in diagnosing and managing patients with myocardial injuries after COVID-19.
Read Full ArticleCardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is an accurate, non-invasive diagnostic option for patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there are diagnostic alternatives for patients at low-to-intermediate risk. Several factors influence clinical decision-making, so how can the cost-effectiveness of CMR for the detection of CAD be calculated?
Read Full ArticleTranscatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is typically planned with contrast-enhanced computed tomography, allowing the suitability of cardiovascular anatomy to be determined. But in cases of patients with severely reduced renal function, there may be a contraindication to this intravenous method.
Read Full ArticleWhile myocardial fibrosis is accepted as a significant factor in cardiac disease development, it isn’t typically assessed routinely in clinical practice. This is in part due to the challenge posed by assessing fibrosis accurately and non-invasively, with imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), offering a lower resolution than invasive assessment using microscopes. But with the development of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) technology, is there now more opportunity than ever to diagnose and accurately assess myocardial fibrosis non-invasively?
Read Full ArticleTAVR is a minimally-invasive procedure that restores blood flow, improving survival rates and quality of life in most patients with severe aortic stenosis.
Read Full ArticleCoronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the western world, despite management having improved over the last few years. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is the favored method for the anatomical evaluation of luminal narrowing in coronary arteries due to its accuracy and non-invasive nature. But could the addition of computed tomography (CT) myocardial perfusion imaging improve the detection of hemodynamically-significant stenosis?
Read Full ArticleHow can healthcare providers benefit from the latest medical imaging innovations, while reducing overheads and increasing efficiency? This may seem like a tough challenge, but thanks to technological advances of the digital era such as software-as-a-service (SaaS), operational efficiency can align with cutting-edge imaging technology.
Read Full ArticleThe uses of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in medicine are growing all the time, offering the advantages of time-saving automation and, in some cases, performing tasks beyond the capabilities of humans. AI and ML are also changing clinical practice and research in cardiac electrophysiology, proving beneficial to the detection and diagnosis of diseases, patient outcome prediction, and the novel characterization of disease.
Read Full ArticleA cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan – which can also be referred to as a coronary CT angiography or CT angiogram – is an imaging test to view the heart and blood vessels. It is a test that carries few risks and is less invasive than alternative procedures such as an angiogram.
Read Full ArticleCOVID-19 has caused significant mortality and morbidity across the world. The most frequent cause of death is the severe acute respiratory syndrome which is sustained by a minority of patients. Acute respiratory infections are associated with elevated serum troponin levels, and linked to mortality even after recovery.
Read Full ArticleElectrophysiology studies examine the electrical activity of the heart muscle. They are used for the diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions that affect the heart’s electrical activity.
Read Full ArticleEchocardiograms are used in clinical settings to assess heart function and detect disease. In this article, we present the essential information on echocardiograms, including their definition, what they are used for, what they show, the various types, and their accuracy.
Read Full ArticleColour-mapped 3D imaging of fibrotic abnormalities in the heart has presented significant advantages for the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias and the planning of ablation procedures. But adoption of a complementary approach that combines this advanced technique with electrocardiogram (EKG), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cardiac computerized tomography (CT) has been slow.
Read Full ArticleMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique that is central to the diagnosis and evaluation of cardiovascular disease. Over the years, this radiological tool has evolved from 2D phase-contrast procedures to 3D methods and today’s advanced 4D flow MRIs.
Read Full ArticleCardiac electrophysiology has proven valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions that affect the heart muscle’s electrical activity. Over the years, electrophysiological procedures have developed concurrently with advances in imaging techniques that are used for the planning, guidance, and monitoring of procedures.
Read Full ArticleCan quantitative assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) open the door to greater reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy than qualitative methods?
Read Full ArticleEvery year, Americans pay over 6.5 million visits to emergency departments due to chest pain, in addition to nearly 4 million outpatient clinic visits. While more often than not, this symptom is not related to heart problems, when serious heart events do occur, they are usually preceded by chest pain.
Read Full ArticleThe diagnostic investigations of cardiovascular diseases have been given an entirely new scope by advances in imaging modalities. Several of the developments in recent years – from multidetector cardiac CT to cardiac MRI and hybrid modalities – have opened the door to an extended range of image-based diagnostic methods in cardiology. These imaging techniques support cardiologists in their decisions, and their management of patients. Numerical image reconstruction and image analysis are now imperative to medical imaging research.
Read Full ArticleAn echocardiogram is a scan that uses sound waves to create images of the heart and its surrounding blood vessels. There are several different types of echocardiograms, and the one which is used will depend on the information the doctor requires.
Read Full ArticleCan high-resolution cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging techniques be used for the identification of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD)? That’s what researchers from the British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence and King’s College London set out to determine, exploring whether quantitative perfusion techniques provide greater accuracy than visual analysis.
Read Full ArticleElectrophysiology is a study of the heart’s electrical system to test for abnormal heart rhythm. In this article, we will look at how electrophysiology can help to diagnose and potentially treat heart conditions and arrhythmias; covering the different cardiac electrophysiology procedures, how electrophysiology is performed, its benefits, and more.
Read Full ArticleCardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are used to diagnose a variety of heart conditions, including congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, heart valve disease, cardiac tumors, and inherited heart conditions.
Read Full ArticleMyocardial perfusion imaging is an imaging test that can show if there is adequate blood flow to the heart and if the heart is pumping as it should be. It is important for the diagnosis and management of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).
Read Full ArticleTranscatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is used for aortic valve stenosis treatment in high-risk patients and has now been extended to intermediate-risk patients. With the procedure still having an elevated mortality rate at five years, researchers from Italy’s Centro Cardiologico Monzino, University of Milan, and Politecnico di Milano set out to develop a new machine learning (ML) method that could identify the best predictors of five-year mortality after TAVI.
Read Full ArticleA CT cardiac calcium scoring test, also known as a calcium scan, can be suitable for people between the ages of 40 and 70 who have an increased heart disease risk but are not showing any symptoms.
Read Full ArticleThe influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on cardiovascular medicine and imaging is growing, and showing increasing promise. That’s the conclusion drawn by researchers from London’s Imperial College and Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic, who have produced a review of AI in personalized cardiovascular medicine and cardiovascular imaging.
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