Background-Coronary calcification measured by fast computed tomography techniques is a surrogate marker of coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden. In a cohort study, we prospectively investigated whether lipid-lowering therapy with a cholesterol synthesis enzyme inhibitor reduces the progression of coronary calcification. Methods and Results-In 66 patients with coronary calcifications in electron beam tomography (EBT), LDL cholesterol Ͼ130 mg/dL, and no lipid-lowering treatment, the EBT scan was repeated after a mean interval of 14 months and treatment with cerivastatin was initiated (0.3 mg/d). After 12 months of treatment, a third EBT scan was performed. Coronary calcifications were quantified using a volumetric score. Cerivastatin therapy lowered the mean LDL cholesterol level from 164Ϯ30 to 107Ϯ21 mg/dL. The median calcified volume was 155 mm 3 (range, 15 to 1849) at baseline, 201 mm 3 (19 to 2486) after 14 months without treatment, and 203 mm 3 (15 to 2569) after 12 months of cerivastatin treatment. The median annualized absolute increase in coronary calcium was 25 mm 3 during the untreated versus 11 mm 3 during the treatment period (Pϭ0.01). The median annual relative increase in coronary calcium was 25% during the untreated versus 8.8% during the treatment period (PϽ0.0001). In 32 patients with an LDL cholesterol level Ͻ100 mg/dL under treatment, the median relative change was 27% during the untreated versus Ϫ3.4% during the treatment period (Pϭ0.0001). Conclusions-Treatment with the cholesterol synthesis enzyme inhibitor cerivastatin significantly reduces coronary calcium progression in patients with LDL cholesterol Ͼ130 mg/dL.

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Contrast medium-enhanced pulmonary CT angiography (CTA) is increasingly used as the first-line imaging test in suspected PE and is available 24 hours a day at most institutions [10][11][12][13][14]. Pulmonary CTA not only allows direct visualization of emboli but provides information regarding the status of the right heart [15,16]. In several studies, the ratio of the RV to left ventricle (LV) diameters on pulmonary CTA has been proposed as a sign for RV dysfunction [17][18][19]. Other signs have been described, including bowing of the interventricular septum and reflux of contrast medium into the inferior vena cava (IVC) [20,21]. However, a variety of different methods for the quantitative assessment of RV dysfunction on pulmonary CTA have been proposed [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and the literature shows variable results for the prognostic power of pulmonary CTA signs of RV dysfunction to predict adverse outcomes. This variability may in part be explained by the somewhat subjective nature of diagnosing RV dysfunction on pulmonary CTA because formal criteria for es- AJR 2010; 194:1500-1506 0361-803X/10/1946-1500 © American Roentgen Ray Society A cute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common disease with a 3-month mortality rate of up to 17.4% [1][2][3][4]. Even if PE is properly treated with anticoagulation, the mortality rate in hemodynamically stable patients varies from 8.1% to 15.1% [4,5]. Death is usually caused by acute right heart failure [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Acute PE increases the pressure of the pulmonary arterial system and right ventricle (RV) resulting in RV dysfunction, which may progress to right heart failure and circulatory collapse [5,6]. Patients with RV dysfunction have a higher mortality rate than those without, even if they are initially hemodynamically stable [6,7]. Thus, the presence of RV dysfunction is a marker for adverse clinical outcome in patients with acute PE [6][7][8]. Echocardiography is the most common first-line examination to diagnose the signs of RV dysfunction [6][7][8][9]. However, this test has limited off-hour availability at many institutions, and occasionally the RV may be difficult to image with the trans thoracic approach. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to determine the interobserver reproducibility of CT findings of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in pulmonary embolism (PE). Reproducibility of CT C a r d io p u lm o n a r y I m ag i ng • O r ig i n a l R e s e a rc hMATERIALS AND METHODS. Two experienced observers independently and retrospectively evaluated pulmonary CT angiography (CTA) studies of 50 patients with acute PE for the following signs: bowing of the interventricular septum, inferior vena cava (IVC) contrast medium reflux, RV diameter (RVD)/left ventricular diameter (LVD) ratio on axial sections and four-chamber (4-CH) views, and RV volume (RVV)/left ventricular volume (LVV) ratio. Analysis used kappa statistics, Spearman's rank correlation, and Bland-Altman statistics.RESULTS. The two observers had fair to moderate agreement (κ = 0.32-0.44)...

Aims Peri-procedural transcatheter valve embolization and migration (TVEM) is a rare but potentially devastating complication of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We sought to assess the incidence, causes, and outcome of TVEM in a large multicentre cohort. Methods and results We recorded cases of peri-procedural TVEM in patients undergoing TAVI between January 2010 and December 2017 from 26 international sites. Peri-procedural TVEM occurred in 273/29 636 (0.92%) TAVI cases (age 80.8 ± 7.3 years; 53.8% female), of which 217 were to the ascending aorta and 56 to the left ventricle. The use of self-expanding or first-generation prostheses and presence of a bicuspid aortic valve were independent predictors of TVEM. Bail-out measures included repositioning attempts using snares or miscellaneous tools (41.0%), multiple valve implantations (83.2%), and conversion to surgery (19.0%). Using 1:4-propensity matching, we identified a cohort of 235 patients with TVEM (TVEMPS) and 932 patients without TVEM (non-TVEMPS). In the matched cohort, all-cause mortality was higher in TVEMPS than in non-TVEMPS at 30 days (18.6% vs. 4.9%; P < 0.001) and after 1 year (30.5% vs. 16.6%; P < 0.001). Major stroke was more frequent in TVEMPS at 30 days (10.6% vs. 2.8%; P < 0.001), but not at 1 year (4.6% vs. 1.9%; P = 0.17). The need for emergent cardiopulmonary support, major stroke at 30 days, and acute kidney injury Stages 2 and 3 increased the risk of 1-year mortality, whereas a better renal function at baseline was protective. Conclusion Transcatheter valve embolization and migration occurred in approximately 1% and was associated with increased morbidity and mortality.

Aims To assess the impact of the lockdown due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on key quality indicators for the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Methods Data were obtained from 41 hospitals participating in the prospective Feedback Intervention and Treatment Times in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (FITT-STEMI) study, including 15,800 patients treated for acute STEMI from January 2017 to the end of March 2020. Results There was a 12.6% decrease in the total number of STEMI patients treated at the peak of the pandemic in March 2020 as compared to the mean number treated in the March months of the preceding years. This was accompanied by a significant difference among the modes of admission to hospitals ( p = 0.017) with a particular decline in intra-hospital infarctions and transfer patients from other hospitals, while the proportion of patients transported by emergency medical service (EMS) remained stable. In EMS-transported patients, predefined quality indicators, such as percentages of pre-hospital ECGs (both 97%, 95% CI = − 2.2–2.7, p = 0.846), direct transports from the scene to the catheterization laboratory bypassing the emergency department (68% vs. 66%, 95% CI = − 4.9–7.9, p = 0.641), and contact-to-balloon-times of less than or equal to 90 min (58.3% vs. 57.8%, 95%CI = − 6.2–7.2, p = 0.879) were not significantly altered during the COVID-19 crisis, as was in-hospital mortality (9.2% vs. 8.5%, 95% CI = − 3.2–4.5, p = 0.739). Conclusions Clinically important indicators for STEMI management were unaffected at the peak of COVID-19, suggesting that the pre-existing logistic structure in the regional STEMI networks preserved high-quality standards even when challenged by a threatening pandemic. Clinical trial registration NCT00794001 Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00392-020-01703-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Split-bolus injection provides sufficient attenuation for visualization of the right heart, while streak artifacts from high-attenuation contrast material can generally be avoided and arterial attenuation is maintained.

Background: Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) and multislice computed tomography (MSCT) are both suitable for non-invasive identification of coronary stenoses. Objective: To compare intravenous coronary EBCT angiography (EBCTA) and MSCT angiography (MSCTA) with regard to image quality and diagnostic accuracy. Methods: EBCTA was done using an Imatron C-150 XP scanner in 101 patients following a standard protocol (slice thickness 3 mm, overlap 1 mm, acquisition time 100 ms, prospective ECG trigger). For MSCTA in a different set of 91 patients (using a Siemens Somatom Plus4VZ scanner), the whole volume of the heart was covered in a spiral technique by four simultaneous detector rows. Using retrospective ECG gating, the raw data were reconstructed in (mean (SD)) 215 (12) axial slices acquired in diastole (slice thickness 1.25 mm, overlap 0.5 mm, acquisition time 250 ms/slice). Results: With EBCTA, 76% of predetermined coronary segments in a nine segment model could be assessed with diagnostic image quality, and with MSCTA, 82%. A low contrast to noise ratio with EBCTA, and the presence of motion artefacts with MSCTA were the main reasons for inadequate image quality. Using conventional angiography as the gold standard, 77% of stenoses of > 50% could be identified correctly with EBCTA and 82% with MSCTA. Significant stenoses were correctly ruled out in 93% of segments with EBCTA, and in 96% of segments with MSCTA. The average contrast to noise ratio was higher with MSCTA than with EBCTA (9.4 v 6.5; p < 0.001).Conclusions: EBCTA and MSCTA show similarly high levels of accuracy for determining and ruling out significant coronary artery stenoses. MSCTA is capable of providing good image quality in more coronary segments than EBCTA because of its better contrast to noise ratio and higher spatial resolution. Motion artefacts seen at heart rates of > 75 beats/min and a higher radiation exposure are the main limitations of MSCTA.

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