With the methods used, we found no effects of intracoronary injection of autologous mononuclear BMC on global left ventricular function.

Background-Left ventricular (LV) torsion is due to oppositely directed apical and basal rotation and has been proposed as a sensitive marker of LV function. In the present study, we introduce and validate speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) as a method for assessment of LV rotation and torsion. Methods and Results-Apical and basal rotation by STE was measured from short-axis images by automatic frame-to-frame tracking of gray-scale speckle patterns. Rotation was calculated as the average angular displacement of 9 regions relative to the center of a best-fit circle through the same regions. As reference methods we used sonomicrometry in anesthetized dogs during baseline, dobutamine infusion, and apical ischemia, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tagging in healthy humans. In dogs, the mean peak apical rotation was Ϫ3.7Ϯ1.2°(ϮSD) and Ϫ4.1Ϯ1.2°, and basal rotation was 1.9Ϯ1.5°and 2.0Ϯ1.2°by sonomicrometry and STE, respectively. Rotations by both methods increased (PϽ0.001) during dobutamine infusion. Apical rotation by both methods decreased during left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion (PϽ0.007), whereas basal rotation was unchanged. In healthy humans, apical rotation was Ϫ11.6Ϯ3.8°and Ϫ10.9Ϯ3.3°, and basal rotation was 4.

ObjectiveTo explore the predictive value of MRI parameters and tumour characteristics before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and to compare changes in tumour size and tumour apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) during treatment, between patients who achieved pathological complete response (pCR) and those who did not.MethodsApproval by the Regional Ethics Committee and written informed consent were obtained. Thirty-one patients with invasive breast carcinoma scheduled for NAC were enrolled (mean age, 50.7; range, 37–72). Study design included MRI before treatment (Tp0), after four cycles of NAC (Tp1) and before surgery (Tp2). Data in pCR versus non-pCR groups were compared and cut-off values for pCR prediction were evaluated.ResultsBefore NAC, HER2 overexpression was the single significant predictor of pCR (p = 0.006). At Tp1 ADC, tumour size and changes in tumour size were all significantly different in the pCR and non-pCR groups. Using 1.42 × 10−3 mm2/s as the cut-off value for ADC, pCR was predicted with sensitivity and specificity of 88% and 80%, respectively. Using a cut-off value of 83% for tumour volume reduction, sensitivity and specificity for pCR were 91% and 80%.ConclusionADC, tumour size and tumour size reduction at Tp1 were strong independent predictors of pCR.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a well-established indication for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), but post-OLT bile duct strictures complicate the outcome for these patients. These strictures might represent recurrent PSC (rPSC). To estimate the risk factors for post-OLT non-anastomotic bile duct strictures in PSC patients and to find their possible etiology, we performed magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) and angiography (MRA) in all PSC patients who had undergone OLT and were alive (median follow-up 6.4 years, range 1.4-15.2 years). This group of PSC patients was compared to a group of 45 non-PSC patients who had also undergone OLT. A logistic regression analysis was performed to find predictors of rPSC. Bile duct strictures were found in 19/49 PSC patients and in 4/45 non-PSC patients (P ‫؍‬ 0.001). In the PSC group nine patients without other possible explanations for bile duct strictures than rPSC were identified, i.e., the estimated risk of rPSC was 9/49 (18%); surprisingly similar changes were also seen in one patient without a pre-transplant PSC diagnosis. Severe liver disease due to rPSC was seen in 4/9 patients (one patient died and three are being evaluated for re-OLT). Steroid-resistant rejection was the only significant predictor for rPSC. In conclusion, our study shows that by the use of MRC we found more bile duct strictures in PSC patients post-OLT compared to controls and that steroidresistant rejections was a predictor of such changes. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:1361-1369.)