Ultrafast CT and the cardiovascular system

Multimodality Imaging of a Right Atrial Cardiac Mass

Work up of a right atrial mass usually requires multimodality imaging and sometimes a biopsy to affirm histological diagnosis. We present a case of a 74-year-old woman with primary cutaneous melanoma (wildtype BRAF) of the right toe who was found to have a large heterogeneous mass in the right atrium on routine surveillance CT scan. She did not have any cardiac symptoms. Vital signs and physical examination were unremarkable. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging demonstrated a bilobed mass with an intramural component and a mobile blood pool component, with interposed thrombus. Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiogram (3D-TEE) revealed the mass and its site of attachment on the lateral wall of the right atrium. Given the large size of the tumor and its potential for obstruction of tricuspid inflow, the right atrial mass was surgically resected. Pathology confirmed metastatic melanoma. The patient tolerated cardiac surgery well and was discharged shortly thereafter. In the present case, a large cardiac metastasis was discovered in the absence of clinically detectable disease elsewhere. CMR allowed a comprehensive evaluation of the location, extension, and tissue characterization of the cardiac mass. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and 3D-TEE allowed assessment of the hemodynamic consequences of this mass and aided in operative planning.

The Clinical Presentation, Survival Outcomes, and Management of Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma and Cardiac Metastasis Without Inferior Vena Cava Involvement: Results From a Pooled Clinical Trial Database and Systematic Review of Reported Cases

BACKGROUND

Cardiac metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are uncommon and there are limited data regarding the presentation and outcomes of this population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with RCC with cardiac metastasis without inferior vena cava (IVC) involvement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a pooled retrospective analysis of metastatic RCC patients treated in 4 clinical trials. Additionally, we conducted a systematic review of cases reported in the literature from 1973 to 2015. Patients with cardiac metastases from RCC without IVC involvement were included. Patient and disease characteristics were described. Additionally, treatments, response to therapy, and survival outcomes were summarized.

RESULTS

Of 1765 metastatic RCC patients in the clinical trials database, 10 had cardiac metastases without IVC involvement. All patients received treatment with targeted therapy. There was 1 observed partial response (10%) and 6 patients showed stable disease (60%). The median progression-free survival was 6.9 months. The systematic review of reported clinical cases included 39 patients. In these patients, the most common cardiac site of involvement was the right ventricle (51%; n = 20). Patients were treated with medical (28%; n = 11) and/or surgical treatment (49%; n = 19) depending on whether disease was isolated (n = 13) or multifocal (n = 26).

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first series to report on the presentation and outcomes of patients with cardiac metastasis without IVC involvement in RCC. We highlight that although the frequency of patients with cardiac metastases without IVC involvement is low, these patients have a unique clinical presentation and warrant special multidisciplinary management.

Coronary artery calcium score: a review

Context

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the foremost cause of death in many countries and hence, its early diagnosis is usually concerned as a major healthcare priority. Coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) using either electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) or multislice computed tomography (MSCT) has been applied for more than 20 years to provide an early CAD diagnosis in clinical routine practice. Moreover, its association with other body organs has been a matter of vast research.

Evidence Acquisition

In this review article, techniques of CACS using EBCT and MSCT scanners as well as clinical and research indications of CACS are searched from PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scopus databases in a time period between late 1970s through July 2013 and following appropriate selection, dealt with. Moreover, the previous and ongoing research subjects and their results are discussed.

Results

The CACS is vastly applied in early detection of CAD and in many other research fields.

Conclusions

CACS has remarkably changed the screening techniques to detect CAD earlier than before and is generally accepted as a standard of reference for determination of risk of further cardiac events.

Detection of the sinus node artery using electron beam computed tomography of the heart

BACKGROUND

Stenosis or obstruction of the sinus node artery (SNA) of the heart can cause cardiac arrhythmia and even sudden death. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the detectability of the SNA using electron beam computed tomography (EBCT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eighty patients (mean age: 61 +/- 10 years, range: 31-80 years) were examined with ECG-triggered EBCT (exposure time: 100 ms, slice thickness: 1.5 mm), using two different detector systems (n = 40; 9.5 line pairs/cm [Lp/cm]; n = 40; 7 Lp/ cm) after intravenous contrast agent administration. Twenty-four out of 80 (30%) patients had supraventricular arrhythmia.

RESULT

The SNA was detected in 60/80 (75%) of all patients with an average length of 16 +/- 7 mm (3-35.2 mm). One additional branch of the SNA was detectable in 17/80 patients (21%), two branches in 6/80 (8%). There was no significant difference between the two used detector systems (p < 0.01) or between patients with or without supraventricular arrhythmia (71 vs. 77%; p = ns).

CONCLUSION

EBCT allows to detect small coronary arteries such as the SNA of the heart.

Feasibility of electron beam tomography in diagnosis of congenital heart disease: comparison with echocardiography

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the feasibility of electron beam tomography (EBT) for morphological assessment of congenital heart disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixteen subjects were examined by EBT, transthoracic echocardiography, cardiac cine angiography and surgery. EBT scan was performed using single slice continuous volume mode to acquire high-resolution static image. Double dose contrast medium was injected by bolus technique after measuring scan delay time and calculation of proper injection rate. The results of EBT and echocardiography were compared based on the results of cardiac cine angiography and surgical findings. All anomalous components were evaluated in all subjects and grouped according to major cardiac structures. Statistical analysis was performed to compare two modalities' ability to evaluate the anomalies of major structures.

RESULTS

EBT was more sensitive to evaluate the anomalies of systemic vessels, pulmonary vessels and small systemic arteries such as coronary artery. EBT was less sensitive to identify the abnormality of cardiac valves such as valvular regurgitation. There was no difference of sensitivity in evaluation of cardiac chambers and septa between the two modalities.

CONCLUSION

EBT assisted by transthoracic echocardiography is excellent noninvasive modality to diagnose congenital heart disease.

Accurate measures of left ventricular ejection fraction using electron beam tomography: a comparison with radionuclide angiography, and cine angiography

BACKGROUND

Quantitative determination of ejection fraction is predicated on precise measurement of end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes of the left ventricle. Contrast enhanced electron beam tomography (EBT), with excellent temporal and spatial resolution, has the potential for highly accurate measures of ejection fraction.

METHODS

EBT protocol used a short axis scan of the left ventricle (8-12 levels, apex to base) during infusion of iodinated contrast. To assess the accuracy of the measured left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), we compared EBT with first-pass radionuclide angiography (RNA) and cine angiography (CINE).

RESULTS

A total of 41 patients (26 men and 15 women) underwent all three tests within 1 week. Resting ejection fraction using each modality was assessed in a linear regression model to assess inter-test correlation with the other two modalities. Correlation between CINE and EBT was high (r = 0.90, intercept 4.67, p < 0.001). Similarly, correlation of CINE and RNA (r = 0.87, intercept -5.48, p < 0.001) and between EBT and RNA (r = 0.87, intercept -4.6, p < 0.001) were high. In a subset of those patients with LVEF < or = 40%, correlation was consistently high between EBT and CINE. However, correlations were poor for the comparisons between RNA and CINE (r = 0.40), and between the RNA and EBT (r = 0.47). The mean differences of measured ejection fractions between each of the imaging modality were small. However, there was only modest agreement between each of the comparisons as measured using 95% confidence interval (CI) on Bland-Altman plots.

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that the LVEF results are comparable among EBT, RNA, and CINE and can be used interchangeably to assess ventricular function for LVEF > 40%. For LVEF < or = 40%, we demonstrated some disparate results between cine angiography and RNA and between EBT and RNA, indicating that CINE or EBT may provide more accurate assessment.

Myocardial cysticercosis detected by ultrafast CT

Cysticercosis can affect any organ of the body although central nervous system manifestations are the most common. Cysticercosis involving the myocardium is extremely rare and is usually diagnosed postmortem. We report a case of cysticercosis involving the myocardium diagnosed antemortem using ultrafast CT.