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Magnetic resonance has become a first-line imaging modality in various clinical scenarios. The number of patients with different cardiovascular devices, including cardiac implantable electronic devices, has increased exponentially. Although there have been reports of risks associated with exposure to magnetic resonance in these patients, the clinical evidence now supports the safety of performing these studies under specific conditions and following recommendations to minimize possible risks. This document was written by the Working Group on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Cardiac Computed Tomography of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC-GT CRMTC), the Heart Rhythm Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC-Heart Rhythm Association), the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM), and the Spanish Society of Cardiothoracic Imaging (SEICAT). The document reviews the clinical evidence available in this field and establishes a series of recommendations so that patients with cardiovascular devices can safely access this diagnostic tool. Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org/en.

Objective To analyze the anatomic characteristics of the left atrium and pulmonary veins in individuals undergoing ablation for atrial fibrillation and to identify possible anatomic factors related with recurrence. Material and methods We retrospectively reviewed the CT angiography studies done to plan radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation in 95 patients (57 men; mean age, 65 ± 10 y). We reviewed the anatomy of the pulmonary veins and recorded the diameters of their ostia as well as the diameter and volume of the left atrium. We analyzed these parameters according to the type of arrhythmia and the response to treatment. Results In 71 (74.7%) patients, the anatomy of the pulmonary veins was normal (i.e., two right pulmonary veins and two left pulmonary veins). Compared to patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, patients with persistent atrial fibrillation had slightly larger diameter of the left pulmonary veins (left superior pulmonary vein 17.9 ± 2.6 mm vs. 16.7 ± 2.2 mm, p = 0.04; left inferior pulmonary vein 15.3 ± 2 mm vs. 13.8 ± 2.2 mm, p = 0.009) and larger left atrial volume (91.9 ± 24.9 cm3 vs. 70.7 ± 20.3 mm3, p = 0.001). After 22.1 ± 12.1 months’ mean follow-up, 41 patients had sinus rhythm. Compared to patients in whom the sinus rhythm was restored, patients with recurrence had greater left atrial volume (81.4 ± 23.0 mm3 vs. 71.1 ± 23.2 mm3, p = 0.03). No significant differences in pulmonary vein diameters or clinical parameters were observed between patients with recurrence and those without. Conclusion The volume of the left atrium is greater in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and in those who do not respond to ablation.

Cardiac comorbidity is one of the most important prognostic factors in lung disease, especially in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The imaging techniques available for the study of this systemic manifestation concomitant with COPD include heart catheterization, transthoracic echocardiography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) represents a significant advance in this field because it enables the acquisition of simultaneous studies of the cardiopulmonary anatomy that go beyond anatomic and morphologic analysis to include a functional approach to this condition. In this article, we review the practical aspects necessary to evaluate cardiac comorbidity in patients with COPD, both from the point of view of pulmonary hypertension and of the analysis of ventricular dysfunction and coronary heart disease.

Purpose To compare the accuracy of cardiac dual-source CT (DSCT) reconstructions obtained at 5% and 10% of the cardiac cycle and MRI for quantifying global left ventricular (LV) function and mass in heart transplant recipients. Material and methods We prospectively included 23 heart transplant recipients (21 males, mean age 60 ± 11.7 years) who underwent cardiac DSCT and MRI examinations. We compared LV parameters on cardiac DSCT reconstructions obtained at 5% (0–95%) and 10% (0–90%) intervals of the cardiac cycle and on double-oblique short-axis MR images. We determined ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), and myocardial mass using commercially available semiautomated segmentation analysis software for DSCT datasets and conventional manual contour tracing for MR studies. Results Using different reconstruction intervals to quantify LV parameters at DSCT resulted in non-significant differences ( P > .05). Compared to MRI, DSCT slightly overestimated LV-EDV, ESV, and mass when both 5% (11.5 ± 25.1 mL, 6.8 ± 10.9 mL, and 28.3 ± 21.6 g, respectively) and 10% (mean difference 15.3 ± 26.3 mL, 7.4 ± 11.5 mL, and 29.3 ± 18.7 g, respectively) reconstruction intervals were used. DSCT and MRI estimates of EF and SV were not significantly different. Conclusion In heart transplant recipients, DSCT allows reliable quantification of LV function and mass compared with MRI, even using 10% interval reconstructions.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of quantifying coronary artery calcification in low-radiation dose chest CT (LDCT) studies performed in an early lung cancer detection program by comparing the results of this technique with those of dedicated retrospectively ECG-gated cardiac CT. Material and methods After obtaining informed consent, we evaluated the CT studies of 48 consecutive asymptomatic smokers (44 male, 4 female; mean age 59.7 years) included in an early lung cancer detection trial who underwent multislice LDCT (Volume Zoom, Siemens) of the chest and a retrospectively ECG-gated cardiac CT specifically dedicated to quantifying coronary artery calcification. LDCT examinations were reconstructed to reproduce cardiac CT parameters. Coronary calcium values were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was calculated to determine the agreement between the two methods. Results Coronary calcium values ranged from 0 to 1,908.4 (median: 89.6; IQR: 3.2; 227.4) in LDCT exams and from 0 to 1,486.6 (median: 81.3; IQR: 2.5; 316.4) in cardiac CT studies. No statistically significant difference was observed in the estimation of total coronary calcium score (p = 0.28). The concordance between the two techniques was excellent (CCC ≥ 0.81). Conclusion The LDCT study performed in lung cancer early detection trials enables coronary artery calcification to be quantified with the same accuracy as the dedicated retrospectively ECG-gated cardiac CT examination.