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Cardiology journal 01/2011; 18(6):702-3. · 1.31 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Gated blood-pool single-photon emission computed tomography (GBPS) was compared with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) for the measurement of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) ejection fractions (EF) and volumes [end-diastolic volume (EDV) or end-systolic volume (ESV)] in a mixed population.
Thirty patients (70% men; mean age: 61±14 years) referred for various symptoms or heart diseases, predominantly ischemic, were included. GBPS data were analyzed using segmentation software described earlier based on the watershed algorithm. CMR images were acquired for both ventricles at the same time using a steady-state-free precession sequence and short-axis views. No compensation for papillary muscles was used. LVEF and RVEF and volumes were assessed with GBPS and CMR and were compared.
LVEF and volumes were correlated (P<0.001). The difference in LVEF between GBPS and CMR was not significant (P=0.063). The limits of agreement were close for LVEF (-11 to 15%) and wider for LV volumes (-82 to 11 ml for EDV and -52 to 15 ml for ESV), with higher volume values obtained with CMR (mean differences of 36±24 ml for EDV and 19±17 ml for ESV). The RVEF and volumes assessed by GBPS and CMR were correlated (P<0.001). The difference in RVESV between GBPS or CMR was not significant (P=0.136). The limits of agreement were relatively close for all RV parameters (-15 to 8% for EF; -44 to 22 ml for EDV, and -25 to 21 ml for ESV). In 24 patients without valvulopathy or shunt, the difference between LV stroke volume and RV stroke volume was lower with GBPS than with CMR (9±14 ml and 18±13 ml, respectively, with P=0.027).
GBPS is a simple and widely available technique that can assess both LVEF and RVEF, and volumes with slight differences compared with CMR.
Nuclear Medicine Communications 11/2010; 32(2):121-8. · 1.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to study the feasibility and diagnostic capability of preoperative cardiac CT for depicting aortic valvular pseudoaneurysms and vegetations in patients referred for aortic endocarditis requiring surgical intervention.
Consecutive patients presenting with active aortic endocarditis requiring surgical intervention were included. CT scan examinations were performed for assessing coronary artery status. Aortic valves were retrospectively analyzed. Contrast-enhanced CT scans were retrospectively gated to the ECG and obtained without the administration of a beta-blocker. The CT and intraoperative findings were systematically compared.
During a 4-year period, 19 consecutive patients (18 men and one woman) were included (mean age +/- SD, 55 +/- 13 years). Results are expressed on a per-patient basis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MDCT in depicting aortic valve pseudoaneurysms were 100%, 87.5%, 91.7%, and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the MDCT in depicting the extension of the aortic valve pseudoaneurysms into the intervalvular fibrous body were each 100%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MDCT in depicting aortic valve vegetations were 71.4%, 100%, 100%, and 55.5%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MDCT for depicting aortic valve vegetations larger than 1 cm were all 100%.
Our study shows the feasibility of preoperative CT in aortic infective endocarditis for providing relevant data about the presence and relationships of aortic valvular pseudoaneurysms. A larger prospective study including a systematic comparison with transesophageal echocardiography should be performed to determine the respective value of each technique.
American Journal of Roentgenology 03/2010; 194(3):574-8. · 2.78 Impact Factor
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Clinical nuclear medicine 02/2010; 35(2):134-7. · 3.92 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Acute viral infections can lead to heart inflammation, including acute myocarditis. We report a rare case of myopericarditis in a young immunocompetent adult, in a context of recent Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. The clinical presentation was an influenzae-like syndrome, classical for a CMV infection, without any chest pain or dyspnea, but a systematic exploration showed multiple inflammation-compatible myopericardial images on MNR-scan. The diagnosis of asymptomatic myopericarditis was established. We present the MNR-scan findings and discuss the CMV cardiac effects and systematic cardiac MRI interest in viral infection.
Internal Medicine 01/2010; 49(2):131-3. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Acute systemic infections may involve the heart, mostly represented by myocarditis and pericarditis. We report the case of a likely myopericarditis in an adult, leading to the diagnosis of tuberculosis infection. The clinical presentation was an acute coronary syndrome with elevated troponin Ic. An alternative diagnosis of myopericarditis was considered. Chest X-ray depicted a miliary pattern and a CT-scan demonstrated bilateral micronodules with a "tree-in-bud" pattern associated with parenchymal consolidations in the apical segment of the left upper lobe, suggesting infectious bronchiolitis. As the direct microscopic examination of the bronchial expectoration revealed the presence of Koch's bacterium, a diagnosis of a tuberculous myocarditis was likely. The clinical, electrocardiographic and CT-scan findings are shown; cardiac effects associated with tuberculosis are discussed.
Internal Medicine 02/2008; 47(19):1699-701. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To evaluate the use of arterial embolization in postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) by comparing the indications, efficacy, times to diagnosis, treatment, and embolization, and conditions of management of patients before and after publication of the Collège National des Gynécologues et Obstétriciens Français clinical practice recommendations (CPR).
Forty-eight patients who underwent embolization between January 2000 and December 2005 were included in a retrospective, descriptive, and comparative study. We compared the management before (n=21) and after (n=27) publication of the CPR. The main outcome measures were time to diagnosis of PPH, time to treatment initiation, time to decision to implement embolization, time to embolization, hemodynamic characteristics.
The number of embolizations has quadrupled since publication of the CPR, and the time taken to decide on embolization has been reduced by 30%. The success rate was 96%, there were no second embolization procedures, and one complication was recorded (hematoma of pubic symphysis). Hemodynamic status was better in patients treated after the CPR (P=0.003).
Embolization is an effective and safe technique, with a low complication rate. In our healthcare network, the decision to use embolization was faster since the CPR, embolizations have quadrupled, and patients' hemodynamic status has improved.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine 02/2007; 35(6):532-7. · 1.70 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to assess early postoperative patency and anatomy of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafts (CABGs) using retrospectively ECG-gated MDCT. CONCLUSION: Retrospectively ECG-gated MDCT is a promising noninvasive technique with which to assess early postoperative patency and anatomy of CABGs.
American Journal of Roentgenology 07/2006; 186(6 Suppl 2):S395-400. · 2.78 Impact Factor