Research progress on cardiovascular hemodynamic assessment based on computational fluid dynamics / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Hemodynamics plays a vital role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases, and is closely associated with changes in morphology and function. Reliable detection of hemodynamic changes is essential to improve treatment strategies and enhance patient prognosis. The combination of computational fluid dynamics with cardiovascular imaging technology has extended the accessibility of hemodynamics. This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent developments in the application of computational fluid dynamics for cardiovascular hemodynamic assessment and a succinct discussion for potential future development.

Métodos diagnósticos cardiovasculares en pacientes con diabetes mellitus. Revisión / Cardiovascular diagnostic methods in patients with diabetes mellitus. A review

Resumen Las enfermedades cardiovasculares constituyen la causa más común de mortalidad en el mundo. Actualmente, la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) representa uno de los principales factores de riesgo de eventos adversos cardiovasculares mayores. Los pacientes que las padecen tienen un riesgo cuatro veces mayor de desarrollar insuficiencia cardíaca y una mortalidad de 10 a 12 veces mayor. La ecocardiografía en todas sus modalidades es la mejor herramienta clínica para el diagnóstico de la insuficiencia cardíaca, ya que proporciona imágenes estáticas y dinámicas del corazón que permiten identificar cambios estructurales y funcionales, como alteraciones en las presiones, cambios de flujo, fracción de expulsión del ventrículo izquierdo y remodelación anatómica de las superficies miocárdicas.

Abstract Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of mortality in the world. Currently, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the main risk factors for major adverse cardiovascular events. T2DM patients have a four-fold higher risk of developing heart failure and 10 to 12 times higher mortality. Echocardiography in all its modalities is the best clinical tool for heart failure diagnosis, since it provides static and dynamic images of the heart that allow to identify structural and functional changes, such as pressure variations, flow changes, left ventricular ejection fraction and myocardial surfaces anatomical remodeling.

Tópicos Emergentes em Insuficiência Cardíaca: Novos Paradigmas na Amiloidose Cardíaca / Emerging Topics in Heart Failure: New Paradigms in Cardiac Amyloidosis

Resumo Evidências recentes sugerem que a amiloidose cardíaca é uma doença amplamente subdiagnosticada, particularmente na sua forma ligada à transtirretina, podendo ser uma causa comum de insuficiência cardíaca com fração de ejeção preservada (ICFEP) no idoso. Os novos paradigmas sobre a doença incluem o desenvolvimento de novas terapias específicas que modificam a história natural da doença. Este artigo traz uma síntese destes novos conceitos.

Abstract Recent evidence suggests cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a mostly underdiagnosed condition, particularly in the transthyretin-mediated form, and is a frequent cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in the elderly. New paradigms about CA also involve the development of disease-modifying specific therapies. This article summarizes these new concepts.

The Accuracy and Clinical Applicability of a Sensor Based Electromagnetic Non-fluoroscopic Catheter Tracking System

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The differences between electromagnetic-based mapping (EM) and impedance-based mapping (IM) in 3D anatomical reconstruction have not been fully clarified. We aimed to investigate the anatomical accuracy between EM (MediGuide™) and IM (EnSite Velocity™) systems. METHODS: We investigated 15 consecutive patients (10 males, mean age 58±9 years) who underwent pulmonary veins (PVs) isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) image of the left atrium (LA) was acquired before ablation and the 3D geometry of the LA was constructed using EM during ablation procedure. We measured the 4 PV angles between the main trunk of each PV and the posterior LA after field scaling. Additionally, the posterior LA surface area was measured. The variables were compared to those of CT-based geometry. A control group of 40 patients who underwent conventional PVs isolation using IM were also evaluated. RESULTS: The actual and relative changes of EM and CT-based geometry in all PV angles and posterior LA were significantly smaller compared to those of IM and CT-based geometry. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between EM and CT-based geometry were 0.871 (right superior pulmonary vein [RSPV]), 0.887 (right inferior pulmonary vein [RIPV]), 0.853 (left superior pulmonary vein [LSPV]), 0.911 (left inferior pulmonary vein [LIPV]), and 0.833 (posterior LA). On the other hand, ICC between IM and CT-based geometry were 0.548 (RSPV), 0.639 (RIPV), 0.691 (LSPV), 0.706 (LIPV), and 0.568 (posterior LA). CONCLUSIONS: Image integration with EM enables high accurate visualization of cardiac anatomy compared to IM in PAF ablation.

Polyarteritis Nodosa in Infancy – Generalized Vascular Problem Diagnosed after Initial Cardiac Manifestation in Emergency Cardiovascular Catheterization.

Aim: Coronary artery diseases in children are uncommon, but in selected cases general vascular problems also affect the heart. Case: We present the case of 4-month old girl admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit after the incident of cardiac arrest and ventricular tachycardia, who underwent diagnostic catheterization due to cardiac ischemia. Coronary angiography showed changes in coronary arteries in the form of disseminated aneurysms, mixed with severely stenosed segments. General angiography discovered also changes in the number of peripheral arteries, with the most significant right subclavian and left iliac artery aneurysms. Results: Upon angiographic images and a history of untreated infection, polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) was diagnosed, with an appropriate administration of intensive treatment. Conclusion: The case prove the significance of invasive cardiovascular diagnostics (cardiac catheterization) in every unclear clinical course.

La importancia del diagnóstico multi-imagen en cardiología / The importance of multi-imaging diagnosis in cardiology

La imagen cardiovascular es una de las disciplinas que más ha evolucionado en el campo de la cardiología. Ante esto, la enseñanza de la cardiología debe moverse a la par. En 2009, el Colegio Americano de Cardiología decidió publicar una declaración en la que señala que: todos los residentes de cardiología deben llevar un entrenamiento básico en cada una de las técnicas de imagen cardiovascular disponibles. La cardiopatía isquémica es la principal causa de muerte en casi todo el mundo, incluido México. Hasta 43% de los pacientes que habían sufrido un infarto del miocardio y 31% de los pacientes con muerte súbita de origen cardiaco, tenían un estudio de perfusión por medicina nuclear prácticamente normal en el año previo al desenlace, poniendo en evidencia la importancia del abordaje por medio de distintos métodos de imagen. Con el mejor entendimiento de los procesos fisiopatológicos de la enfermedad arterial coronaria, se han desarrollado técnicas diagnósticas que nos permiten identificar esta patología prácticamente desde su inicio, a través de la detección de disfunción endotelial por medio de la tomografía por emisión de positrones. Más adelante, cuando los pacientes desarrollan ateroesclerosis manifiesta, contamos con herramientas como el score de calcio y la detección de las placas ateroscleróticas por medio de la tomografía computarizada. Para detectar la presencia de isquemia miocárdica contamos con dos métodos ampliamente utilizados: la ecocardiografía en estrés con dobutamina o dipiridamol y la medicina nuclear. Otras opciones para la identificación de isquemia son la resonancia magnética y la tomografía computada, gracias a la tecnología Dual Source y Flash. Posterior a un evento coronario, la imagen cardiovascular tiene como funciones la estratificación de riesgo y la detección de tejido miocárdico viable, siendo hoy en día el método de elección la tomografía por emisión de positrones.

Cardiovascular imaging is one of the disciplines in cardiology with the most recent advances. This means that the teaching of Cardiology must evolve in the same way. In 2009, the American College of Cardiology published a statement, which points out that all of the cardiology residents must have basic training in every one of the cardiovascular imaging modalities available. Ischemic heart disease is the main cause of death in the world, including Mexico. Up to 43% of the patients that suffered a myocardial infarction and up to 31% of the patients with sudden cardiac death had an almost normal nuclear myocardial perfusion study in the year before the event, thus evidencing the importance of a multi-imaging approach. With the better understanding of the pathophysiological processes of coronary artery disease, new techniques have been developed that allows the detection of this disease almost from the beginning, through the detection of endothelial dysfunction by Positron Emission Tomography. Later on, when the patient develops diffuse atherosclerosis, we can rely on the use of de coronary calcium score and the detection of atherosclerotic plaques with coronary computed tomography angiography. To detect the presence of myocardial ischemia, two methods are widely used: echocardiography and nuclear medicine. Other options to identify myocardial ischemia are magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, due to the development of the "Dual Source" and "Flash" technologies. After an acute coronary event, cardiovascular imaging is useful for risk stratification and detection of myocardial viability, being the positron emission tomography the gold standard.

Cardiovascular Molecular Imaging / 핵의학분자영상

Molecular imaging strives to visualize processes in living subjects at the molecular level. Monitoring biochemical processes at this level will allow us to directly track biological processes and signaling events that lead to pathophysiological abnormalities, and help make personalized medicine a reality by allowing evaluation of therapeutic efficacies on an individual basis. Although most molecular imaging techniques emerged from the field of oncology, they have now gradually gained acceptance by the cardiovascular community. Hence, the availability of dedicated high-resolution small animal imaging systems and specific targeting imaging probes is now enhancing our understanding of cardiovascular diseases and expediting the development of newer therapies. Examples include imaging approaches to evaluate and track the progress of recent genetic and cellular therapies for treatment of myocardial ischemia. Other areas include in vivo monitoring of such key molecular processes as angiogenesis and apoptosis. Cardiovascular molecular imaging is already an important research tool in preclinical experiments. The challenge that lies ahead is to implement these techniques into the clinics so that they may help fulfill the promise of molecular therapies and personalized medicine, as well as to resolve disappointments and controversies surrounding the field.