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Cardiac imaging is the backbone for safe and optimal transcatheter structural interventions. Transthoracic echocardiogram is the initial modality to assess valvular disorders, while transesophageal echocardiogram is best to delineate the mechanism of valvular regurgitation, preprocedural assessment for transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, and for intraprocedural guidance. Cardiac computed tomography is the modality of choice for assessing calcifications, maneuvering multiplaner reconstruction of different cardiac structures, preprocedural planning for various transcatheter valve replacement, and assessing for hypoattenuated leaflet thickening and reduced leaflet motion. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is best known for most accurate volumetric assessment of valvular regurgitation and chamber size quantification. Cardiac positron emission tomography is the only modality that could assess active infection through using fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose radiotracer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past decade has seen significant advances in dynamic imaging of the aorta. Today's vascular surgeons have the opportunity to choose from a wide array of imaging modalities to evaluate different aortic pathologies. While vascular ultrasound and aortography are considered to be the bread and butter imaging modalities, newer dynamic imaging techniques provide time-resolved information in various aortic pathologies. However, despite growing evidence of their advantages in the literature, they have not been routinely adopted. In order to understand the role of these emerging modalities, one must understand their principles, advantages, and limitations in the context of various clinical scenarios. In this review, we provide an overview of dynamic imaging techniques for aortic pathologies and describe various dynamic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging protocols, clinical applications, and potential future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the 100,000-plus valve surgeries performed each year in the United States, up to 6% of those develop complications from prosthetic valve dysfunction. Prosthetic valve dysfunction (PVD) can be life threatening and often challenging to diagnose. In this review, we discuss the prevalence and incidence of PVD, explore its different etiologies, and assess the role of multimodality imaging with an emphasis on cardiac multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) for evaluating patients with PVD. We also investigate the utility of MDCT in preprocedural planning for transcatheter devices and redo surgical planning and discuss management strategies for patients with PVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has evolved into a versatile imaging modality that can depict atherosclerosis burden, determine functional significance of a stenotic lesion, and guide the management and treatment of stable coronary artery disease.1 With newer-generation scanners, diagnostic CCTA can be obtained in the majority of patients with a very acceptable radiation dose. We discuss the ability of CCTA to provide comprehensive assessment of a patient with suspected CAD, including functional techniques of stress-rest myocardial perfusion assessment using a vasodilator and a purely post-processing approach that assesses fractional flow reserve derived by CCTA. In addition, recent data validated the role of CCTA in managing stable patients with chest pain and suspected CAD, serving as a gatekeeper for invasive coronary angiogram as well as optimizing the preprocedural planning of percutaneous coronary revascularization and coronary artery bypass surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the past decade, multidetector cardiac computed tomography and its main application, coronary computed tomography angiography, have been established as a noninvasive technique for anatomical assessment of coronary arteries. This new era of coronary artery evaluation by coronary computed tomography angiography has arisen from the rapid advancement in computed tomography technology, which has led to massive diagnostic and prognostic clinical studies in various patient populations. This article gives a brief overview of current multidetector cardiac computed tomography systems, developing cardiac computed tomography technologies in both hardware and software fields, innovative radiation exposure reduction measures, multidetector cardiac computed tomography functional studies, and their newer clinical applications beyond coronary computed tomography angiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single coronary artery (SCA) is a very rare finding. Although most cases of SCA are found incidentally on coronary angiography, it can potentially lead to different clinical repercussions.1, 2 Herein we describe a patient with SCA who had unstable angina with subsequent sudden cardiac arrest, and we provide a brief review of the recent literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case of an 81-year-old female who is experiencing fever and shortness of breath. She previously underwent aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting. Based on blood cultures, she is positive for vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus. She was eventually diagnosed with pseudoaneurysm formation in the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF) and underwent debridement of aortic annulus and aortic root and ascending aorta replacement.

The article presents a case study of a 77-year-old male with sick sinus syndrome status. The chest X-ray conducted to the patient showed abnormal course of the pacemaker suggestive of a lead in the left ventricle (LV) and the electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed right bundle branch block (RBBB) pattern of the pace beat. It discusses the malposition of a ventricular lean into the LV.

The article describes the case of a 61-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with aortic valve dysfunction caused by pannus. It notes that the patient was experiencing ventricular tachycardia and being examined through transthoracic echocardiogram and cardian multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Information from the imaging tests confirmed that the patient's prosthetic aortic valve was not functioning due to an obstruction caused by a pannus or fibrovascular soft tissue.

The article presents a case study of a 41-year-old female with bioprosthetic tricuspid valve who was hospitalized for dyspnea.

The article presents a case study of a 49-year-old man with hypertension and suffering epigastric abdominal pain. It states that the man was diagnosed to have type B aortic dissecting aneurysm and a scimitar vein using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). It adds that scimitar syndrome diagnosis was carried out using computed tomography, cardiac catheterization, and MRA.

The article presents a case study of a 65-year-old man suffering from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and hypertension. The patient was recommended for a radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of the pulmonary veins to avoid recurrent episodes. Furthermore, he underwent cardiac computed tomography (CT) and revealed an anomalous left circumflex artery which coexists with septal defect to the atrium.

The article presents a case study of a 42 year old woman who is presented with stoke and history of fever and a large pseudoaneurysm of the intervalvular fibrosa is being displayed during multidetector cardiac computed tomography (MDCT).

Transient ischemic dilatation (TID) is a phenomenon that occurs when there is subendocardial ischemia and the post-stress tomograms show a larger left ventricular cavity size compared to the rest images. We present a rare case of reverse TID in which the opposite findings are seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]