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Background Failure of a small surgical aortic bioprosthesis represents a challenging clinical scenario with valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) often resulting in patient-prosthesis mismatch. Bioprosthetic valve fracture (BVF) performed as a part of the ViV TAVI has recently emerged as an alternative approach with certain types of surgical bioprostheses. Case summary An 81-year-old woman with a history of three surgical aortic valve procedures presented with heart failure. Aortic bioprosthesis degeneration with severe stenosis and moderate regurgitation was found. The patient was deemed a high-risk surgical candidate and the heart team decided that ViV TAVI was the preferred treatment option. Due to the very small 19 mm stented surgical aortic bioprosthesis Mitroflow 19 mm (Sorin Group, Italy) we decided to perform BVF as a part of ViV TAVI to prevent patient-prosthesis mismatch. Since this was the first BVF procedure in our centre, an ex vivo BVF of the same kind of bioprosthetic valve was performed first. Subsequently, successful BVF with implantation of Evolut R 23 mm (Medtronic, USA) self-expandable transcatheter valve was performed. Excellent haemodynamic result was achieved and no periprocedural complications were present. The patient had an immediate major improvement in clinical status and remains asymptomatic after 6 months. Discussion Bioprosthetic valve fracture together with ViV TAVI is a safe and effective emerging technique for treatment of small surgical aortic bioprosthesis failure. Bioprosthetic valve fracture allows marked oversizing of implanted self-expandable transcatheter aortic valves, leading to excellent haemodynamic and clinical results. An ex vivo BVF can serve as an important preparatory step when introducing the new method.

Aims The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods and results A total of 213 centres from 38 different countries (87% European) responded to the survey. One hundred twenty-one (57%) centres followed HCM patients in a general cardiology outpatient clinic and 85 (40%) centres in a specialized HCM/cardiomyopathy clinic. While echocardiography was the primary imaging modality, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become an important complementary tool. Cardiac anatomy, left ventricular (LV) systolic, and diastolic function were assessed according to current European guidelines and recommendations. To evaluate LV obstruction, 49% of the centres performed bedside provocation manoeuvres in every patient and 55% of the centres used exercise stress echocardiography. The majority of centres used the 5-year risk assessment of sudden cardiac death (SCD) calculated with the HCM Risk-SCD score. However, 34% of the centres also used extensive non-infarct late gadolinium enhancement on CMR and 27% the presence of LV apical aneurysm to help select patients for primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy. Ninety-nine percent of the responding centres performed regular imaging follow-up of HCM patients. Conclusion Most centres followed European guidelines and recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with HCM. The importance of bedside provocation manoeuvres and exercise stress echocardiography to diagnose LV outflow obstruction requires emphasis. Additional risk markers for SCD are used in many centres and might indicate the need for an update of current European recommendations.

Aims The aim of this study is to analyse how current recommendations on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function assessment have been adopted. Identifying potential discrepancies between recommendations and everyday clinical practice would enable us to better understand and address the remaining challenges in this controversial and complex field. Methods and results A total of 93 centres, mainly from tertiary care settings, responded to the survey. More than three-quarters (77%) of centres follow the 2016 ASE/EACVI recommendations for LV diastolic function evaluation in patients with preserved ejection fraction based upon e′, E/e′, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, and left atrial (LA) volume. These recommendations were generally preferred to the previous 2009 version. Many centres also consider strain assessments in the LV (48%) and left atrium (53%) as well as diastolic stress echocardiography (33%) to be useful as additional assessments of LV diastolic function. Echocardiographic assessments of LV diastolic function were used frequently to guide therapy in 72% of centres. Conclusion There is widespread adoption of current recommendation on the evaluation of LV diastolic function and these are frequently used to guide patient management. Many centres now also consider LV and LA strain assessments useful in the clinical assessment of diastolic function. These may be considered in future recommendations.

Aims The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with suspected and confirmed chronic coronary syndromes. Methods and results One-hundred and ten imaging centres from 37 countries across the world responded to the survey. Most non-invasive investigations for coronary artery disease were widely available, except cardiovascular magnetic resonance (available 40% centres). Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and nuclear scans were reported by a multi-disciplinary team in only a quarter of centres. In the initial assessment of patients presenting with chest pain, only 32% of respondents indicated that they rely on pre-test probability for selecting the optimal imaging test while 31% proceed directly to CCTA. In patients with established coronary artery disease and recurrent chest pain, respondents opted for stress echocardiography (27%) and nuclear stress perfusion scans (26%). In asymptomatic patients with coronary artery disease and an obstructive (>70%) right coronary artery stenosis, 58% of respondents were happy to pursue medical therapy without further testing or intervention. This proportion fell to 29% with left anterior descending artery stenosis and 1% with left main stem obstruction. In asymptomatic patients with evidence of moderate-to-severe myocardial ischaemia (15%), only 18% of respondents would continue medical therapy without further investigation. Conclusion Despite guidelines recommendations pre-test probability is used to assess patients with suspected coronary artery in a minority of centres, one-third of centres moving directly to CCTA. Clinicians remain reticent to pursue a strategy of optimal medical therapy without further investigation or intervention in patients with controlled symptoms but obstructive coronary artery stenoses or myocardial ischaemia.

Background Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) have high risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) and may benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). However, the risk for ICD-related complications is also high in this population. Therefore, there is an unmet need for accurate risk stratification tools to identify patients with CKD at risk for ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), who may benefit from ICD implantation. The aim of this hypothesis-generating study was to investigate the association between left ventricular (LV) mechanical dispersion and LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) measured using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography and VA and SCD in patients with CKD. Methods Patients with CKD stages 3b to 5 (estimated glomerular filtration rate 2 or on dialysis) were included and were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of VA or SCD during follow-up. LV mechanical dispersion, as a measure of the temporal heterogeneity of the LV deformation, was measured as the SD of time to peak longitudinal strain of 17 LV segments. The ability of LV mechanical dispersion, LV ejection fraction, and LV GLS to discriminate patients with VA or SCD during follow-up was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results Of 250 patients (66% men; mean age, 61 ± 14 years), 16 (6%) experienced VA or SCD during a median follow-up duration of 28 months (interquartile range, 16–53 months). Using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, LV GLS (area under the curve = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.68–0.89) and LV mechanical dispersion (area under the curve = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.61–0.82) showed modest discrimination to identify patients at risk for VA or SCD. In contrast, LV ejection fraction showed poor discrimination (area under the curve = 0.60; 95% CI, 0.41–0.78). Conclusions LV mechanical dispersion along with LV GLS may be an additional valuable risk marker of VA and SCD in predialysis and dialysis patients.

The left ventricular (LV) remodeling process associated with significant valvular heart disease (VHD) is characterized by an increase of myocardial interstitial space with deposition of collagen and loss of myofibers. These changes occur before LV systolic function deteriorates or the patient develops symptoms. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) permits assessment of reactive fibrosis, with the use of T1 mapping techniques, and replacement fibrosis, with the use of late gadolinium contrast enhancement. In addition, functional consequences of these structural changes can be evaluated with myocardial tagging and feature tracking CMR, which assess the active deformation (strain) of the LV myocardium. Several studies have demonstrated that CMR techniques may be more sensitive than the conventional measures (LV ejection fraction or LV dimensions) to detect these structural and functional changes in patients with severe left-sided VHD and have shown that myocardial fibrosis may not be reversible after valve surgery. More important, the presence of myocardial fibrosis has been associated with lesser improvement in clinical symptoms and recovery of LV systolic function. Whether assessment of myocardial fibrosis may better select the patients with severe left-sided VHD who may benefit from surgery in terms of LV function and clinical symptoms improvement needs to be demonstrated in prospective studies. The present review article summarizes the current status of CMR techniques to assess myocardial fibrosis and appraises the current evidence on the use of these techniques for risk stratification of patients with severe aortic stenosis or regurgitation and mitral regurgitation.

Aims To evaluate standard reporting of cardiac chambers size and function by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), the EACVI Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a survey across European centres. In particular, the routine use of three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) and speckle tracking-derived myocardial deformation imaging (STE) was explored. Methods and results A total of 96 European Echocardiography Laboratories from 22 different countries responded to the survey, which consisted of 20 questions. For most of the standard parameters of cardiac chamber size and function, answers from the centres were homogeneous and demonstrated good adherence to current recommendations. In particular, all centres assessed left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) size combining diameter measurements with volumes obtained using the bi-plane Simpson’s method. More variability was observed in the measurements of the right heart chambers and thoracic aorta. Interestingly, >90% of centres had access to 3DE and STE; however, the large majority of centres reserved the use of these techniques for selected cases, particularly for the measure of 3D LV volumes and ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain in patients being considered for cardiac device implantation, surgical intervention (valvular heart disease) or screened for cardiotoxicity. Only 10% of centres used 3DE for right ventricular and LA volumes. Also, Conclusion In Europe, a good adherence to current recommendations was observed for most of the standard parameters of cardiac chambers quantification by TTE. Advanced echocardiography modalities, such as 3DE and STE, are widely available but used only in selected cases.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most prevalent valvular disease in developed countries, with a prevalence that is set to expand further with an ageing population. The most recent guidelines on valvular heart disease published by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, aim to standardize the diagnosis and management of valvular heart diseases. The imaging criteria of the current guidelines are mostly based on EACVI Recommendations, with an appropriate diagnostic workflow being of major importance, to ensure streamlined and efficient patient assessment and accurate diagnoses and decisions regarding the timing of surgery. The EACVI Scientific Initiatives Committee, therefore, created a survey on the imaging assessment of patient with AS to investigate the diagnostic patient pathways used in different centres across Europe. In particular, we conducted this survey to better understand the use and access of advanced imaging techniques in AS including 3D transthoracic echocardiography and 3D transoesophageal echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

One of the missions of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) is ‘to promote excellence in clinical diagnosis, research, technical development, and education in cardiovascular imaging’. The future of imaging involves multimodality so each imager should have the incentive and the possibility to improve its knowledge in other cardiovascular techniques. This article presents the results of a 20 questions survey carried out in cardiovascular imaging (CVI) centres across Europe. The aim of the survey was to assess the situation of experience and training of CVI in Europe, the availability and organization of modalities in each centre and to ask for vision about potential improvements in CVI at national and European level.

The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional excellence in all aspects of cardiovascular imaging. The mission of the EACVI is to promote excellence in clinical diagnosis, research, technical development, and education in cardiovascular imaging with a particular focus on education, training, scientific initiatives, and research. The EACVI established the Scientific Initiatives Committee (SIC) in December 2018. This committee has responsibility for surveys among imagers, patients’ surveys and surveys including data from clinical practice. The current document describes the aims of the EACVI SIC and the creation of the international EACVI survey network. This document summarizes the EACVI's standards for the survey questions and standards for writing the papers with the results of the surveys. These are in accordance with previous recommendations and were approved by the EACVI SIC and the EACVI Board in 2019.

Resumen El reemplazo percutaneo de la valvula aortica es un tratamiento bien establecido para los pacientes con estenosis aortica severa y sintomatica que tienen contraindicaciones para el tratamiento quirurgico o alto riesgo quirurgico. Los avances alcanzados en el diseno de las protesis y dispositivos y los continuos avances en las tecnicas de imagen multimodal, en especial las de tipo tridimensional, han mejorado los resultados clinicos, con una reduccion significativa de la incidencia de complicaciones frecuentes como la regurgitacion aortica paravalvular. Ademas, se estan acumulando datos sobre la durabilidad de las protesis. Las tecnicas de imagen multimodales desempenan un papel central en la seleccion de los pacientes candidatos a sustitucion percutanea de la valvula aortica, asi como para planificar y guiar la intervencion y hacer el seguimiento de la funcion de la protesis. En este articulo de puesta al dia se analizan los puntos fuertes y las limitaciones de cada tecnica de diagnostico por la imagen en la sustitucion de valvula aortica.

Accurate aortic annulus sizing is key for selection of appropriate transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) prosthesis size. The present study compared novel automated 3-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) software and multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) for aortic annulus sizing and investigated the influence of the quantity of aortic valve calcium (AVC) on the selection of TAVI prosthesis size. A total of 83 patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI were evaluated. Maximal and minimal aortic annulus diameter, perimeter, and area were measured. AVC was assessed with computed tomography. The low and high AVC burden groups were defined according to the median AVC score. Overall, 3D TEE measurements slightly underestimated the aortic annulus dimensions as compared with MDCT (mean differences between maximum, minimum diameter, perimeter, and area: −1.7 mm, 0.5 mm, −2.7 mm, and −13 mm2, respectively). The agreement between 3D TEE and MDCT on aortic annulus dimensions was superior among patients with low AVC burden (

Background Limited data exist regarding transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) for patients with failed mitral valve replacement and repair. Objectives This study sought to evaluate the outcomes of TMVR in patients with failed mitral bioprosthetic valves (valve-in-valve [ViV]) and annuloplasty rings (valve-in-ring [ViR]). Methods From the TMVR multicenter registry, procedural and clinical outcomes of mitral ViV and ViR were compared according to Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria. Results A total of 248 patients with mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 8.9 ± 6.8% underwent TMVR. Transseptal access and the balloon-expandable valve were used in 33.1% and 89.9%, respectively. Compared with 176 patients undergoing ViV, 72 patients undergoing ViR had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (45.6 ± 17.4% vs. 55.3 ± 11.1%; p < 0.001). Overall technical and device success rates were acceptable, at 92.3% and 85.5%, respectively. However, compared with the ViV group, the ViR group had lower technical success (83.3% vs. 96.0%; p = 0.001) due to more frequent second valve implantation (11.1% vs. 2.8%; p = 0.008), and lower device success (76.4% vs. 89.2%; p = 0.009) due to more frequent reintervention (16.7% vs. 7.4%; p = 0.03). Mean mitral valve gradients were similar between groups (6.4 ± 2.3 mm Hg vs. 5.8 ± 2.7 mm Hg; p = 0.17), whereas the ViR group had more frequent post-procedural mitral regurgitation moderate or higher (19.4% vs. 6.8%; p = 0.003). Furthermore, the ViR group had more frequent life-threatening bleeding (8.3% vs. 2.3%; p = 0.03), acute kidney injury (11.1% vs. 4.0%; p = 0.03), and subsequent lower procedural success (58.3% vs. 79.5%; p = 0.001). The 1-year all-cause mortality rate was significantly higher in the ViR group compared with the ViV group (28.7% vs. 12.6%; log-rank test, p = 0.01). On multivariable analysis, failed annuloplasty ring was independently associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 2.70; 95% confidence interval: 1.34 to 5.43; p = 0.005). Conclusions The TMVR procedure provided acceptable outcomes in high-risk patients with degenerated bioprostheses or failed annuloplasty rings, but mitral ViR was associated with higher rates of procedural complications and mid-term mortality compared with mitral ViV.

Aging is associated with changes in left atrial (LA) structure and function. The present study aimed at describing the effect of aging on LA properties in a large cohort of subjects without structural heart disease. We divided 386 subjects (mean age 58 years [range 16 to 91]; 188 men [49%]) clinically referred for echocardiography according to age groups. The P-wave dispersion (PWD), reflecting total atrial conduction time, was measured on a 12-lead surface electrocardiogram as the difference between maximum and minimum P-wave duration. The PA-TDI duration reflecting the total atrial conduction time was measured on tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) as the time between onset of P wave on surface electrocardiogram to peak A'-wave velocity. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography was used to assess LA reservoir function, reflecting LA compliance. In the overall population, mean PWD, PA-TDI, and LA reservoir strain were 43 ± 12 ms, 129 ± 27 ms, and 36 ± 13%, respectively. Increasing age was independently associated with prolonged PWD (β = 0.161; p0.001), PA-TDI (β = 0.476; p0.001), and reduced LA reservoir strain (β = -0.259;0.001), suggesting age-related fibrotic changes of the LA myocardium. The association between age and LA reservoir strain was modulated by body mass index (β = -0.582; p0.001) and LA volume index (β = -0.117; p = 0.014). In conclusion, aging is associated with longer PWD and PA-TDI duration along with a decrease in LA reservoir function. Obesity and larger LA volumes are independently associated with reduced LA compliance.

Background: Accurate aortic annulus (AA) sizing is key for selection of appropriate transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) prosthesis size. Head-to-head comparison of novel automated 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) algorithm and multidetector row computed tomography (

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is an established therapy for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and contraindications or high risk for surgery. Advances in prostheses and delivery system designs and continuous advances in multimodality imaging, particularly the 3-dimensional techniques, have led to improved outcomes with significant reductions in the incidence of frequent complications such as paravalvular aortic regurgitation. In addition, data on prosthesis durability are accumulating. Multimodality imaging plays a central role in the selection of patients who are candidates for transcatheter aortic valve replacement, procedure planning and guidance, and follow-up of prosthesis function. The strengths and limitations of each imaging technique for transcatheter aortic valve replacement will be discussed in this update article.

We evaluated whether left ventricular (LV) global circumferential (GCS) and longitudinal (GLS) strain with feature tracking cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) are associated with prognosis in patients after acute myocardial infarction and whether they provide incremental prognostic information

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is an established therapy for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and contraindications or high risk for surgery. Advances in prostheses and delivery system designs and continuous advances in multimodality imaging, particularly the 3-dimensional techniques, have led to improved outcomes with significant reductions in the incidence of frequent complications such as paravalvular aortic regurgitation. In addition, data on prosthesis durability are accumulating. Multimodality imaging plays a central role in the selection of patients who are candidates for transcatheter aortic valve replacement, procedure planning and guidance, and follow-up of prosthesis function. The strengths and limitations of each imaging technique for transcatheter aortic valve replacement will be discussed in this update article.

Valvular heart disease (VHD) and heart failure (HF) are major health issues that are steadily increasing in prevalence in Western populations. VHD and HF frequently co-exist, which can complicate the accurate diagnosis of the severity of valve stenosis or regurgitation and affect decisions about therapeutic options. Transthoracic echocardiography is the first-line imaging modality to determine left ventricular (LV) systolic function, to grade valvular stenosis or regurgitation and to characterise the mechanism underlying valvular dysfunction. 3D transoesophageal echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance and cardiac CT are alternative imaging modalities that help in the diagnosis of patients with HF and VHD. The integration of multimodality cardiovascular imaging is important when deciding whether the patient should receive transcatheter aortic valve repair and replacement therapies. In this article, the use of multimodality imaging to diagnose and treat patients with VHD and HF is reviewed.