The Use of Stress Cardiovascular Imaging in Pediatric Population

Transseptal coronary artery-a pictorial review

A transseptal coronary artery course, also known as a transconal course, is an anomalous course of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) or the left anterior descending artery (LAD) through the conal septal myocardium. The conal septal myocardium is the posterior wall of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), acting as a dividing myocardial wall between the subaortic and subpulmonary outflow tracts. The initial segment of a transseptal coronary artery has an extraconal course between the aorta and the RVOT cranial to the true intramyocardial segment. The transseptal coronary artery then emerges out of the conal septal myocardium at the epicardial surface on the lateral aspect of the RVOT. Many consider the transseptal coronary artery to be a benign entity. However, there are few case reports of severe cardiac symptoms such as myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia, and even sudden cardiac deaths due to potential coronary artery compression in the systolic phase.​ In this article, we seek to describe the imaging findings of transseptal coronary artery course on coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), discuss their clinical analysis, and briefly discuss the management of these lesions.

Complete Transposition of the Great Arteries in the Pediatric Field: A Multimodality Imaging Approach

The complete transposition of the great arteries (C-TGA) is a congenital cardiac anomaly characterized by the reversal of the main arteries. Early detection and precise management are crucial for optimal outcomes. This review emphasizes the integral role of multimodal imaging, including fetal echocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), and cardiac computed tomography (CCT) in the diagnosis, treatment planning, and long-term follow-up of C-TGA. Fetal echocardiography plays a pivotal role in prenatal detection, enabling early intervention strategies. Despite technological advances, the detection rate varies, highlighting the need for improved screening protocols. TTE remains the cornerstone for initial diagnosis, surgical preparation, and postoperative evaluation, providing essential information on cardiac anatomy, ventricular function, and the presence of associated defects. CMR and CCT offer additional value in C-TGA assessment. CMR, free from ionizing radiation, provides detailed anatomical and functional insights from fetal life into adulthood, becoming increasingly important in evaluating complex cardiac structures and post-surgical outcomes. CCT, with its high-resolution imaging, is indispensable in delineating coronary anatomy and vascular structures, particularly when CMR is contraindicated or inconclusive. This review advocates for a comprehensive imaging approach, integrating TTE, CMR, and CCT to enhance diagnostic accuracy, guide therapeutic interventions, and monitor postoperative conditions in C-TGA patients. Such a multimodal strategy is vital for advancing patient care and improving long-term prognoses in this complex congenital heart disease.

Clinical Application of Exercise Stress Echocardiography in an Outpatient Pediatric Population

Background: Exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) is commonly employed in adults, but its applicability in pediatric populations remains to be clarified. Methods: A total of 309 consecutive children (C), with a mean age of 14.1 ± 2.6 years (range 6-17 years), underwent treadmill ESE starting in 2002. They were divided into two groups: Group I comprised 258 children, including 237 with symptoms related to exercise (such as chest pain, fatigue, lipothymia/syncope, or one aborted sudden death), 15 with electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, and 6 with a positive ECG stress test showing ST changes. Group II consisted of 10 asymptomatic children whose parents requested routine screening, 11 with symptoms unrelated to exercise, 12 with a family history of sudden death, and 17 with known pathologies (including 10 with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 2 with aortic coarctation, and the remainder with various conditions, such as Cortriatriatum sinister, pulmonary stenosis, subaortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve, left ventricular hypertrophy related to arterial hypertension, and aortic switch operation). Regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs) and transvalvular or intraventricular (IVG) gradients were assessed using 2D and continuous-wave Doppler, respectively, in all cases. Results: The success rate was 100% (309/309). Stress-induced RWMAs were observed in two children. A significant IVG (>30 mmHg) was detected in 101 out of the 258 children (39%) in Group I, who presented with exercise-related symptoms, ECG abnormalities, or positive stress ECG. In Group I, the odds ratio (OR) of ESE reproducing the symptoms in children with IVG compared to those without IVG was 8.22 (95% CI: 4.84-13.99, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Treadmill ESE is both feasible and safe for pediatric populations. RWMAs demonstrated limited utility in our cohort of children, while IVG induced by exercise was frequently observed in symptomatic children.

Microfluidics as diagnostic tools

The challenges in the management of human diseases are largely determined by the precision, speed and ease of diagnostic procedures available. Developments in biomedical engineering technologies have greatly helped in transforming human health care, especially for disease diagnosis which in turn lead to better patient outcomes. One such development is in the form of microfluidic chip technology which has transformed various aspects of human health care. We present in this review, a comprehensive account on the utility of microfluidic chip technologies for the diagnosis of autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions. We have included the diseases posing global threat such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, pernicious anemia, tuberculosis, COVID-19, influenza, alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. Apart from discussing the ways of microfluidic chip in diagnosis, we included a section presenting electrochemical, electrical, optical, and acoustic detection technologies for the precise diagnosis of CVDs. Microfluidics platforms have thus revolutionized novel capabilities in addressing the requirements of point-of-care diagnostics enabling miniaturization by integrating multiple laboratory functions into a single chip resulting in "one flow - one solution" systems. Hence, the precision and early diagnoses of diseases are now possible due to the advancements of microfluidics-based technology.

Shaping the Future of Cardiovascular Disease by 3D Printing Applications in Stent Technology and its Clinical Outcomes

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. In recent years, 3D printing technology has ushered in a new era of innovation in cardiovascular medicine. 3D printing in CVD management encompasses various aspects, from patient-specific models and preoperative planning to customized medical devices and novel therapeutic approaches. In-stent technology, 3D printing has revolutionized the design and fabrication of intravascular stents, offering tailored solutions for complex anatomies and individualized patient needs. The advantages of 3D-printed stents, such as improved biocompatibility, enhanced mechanical properties, and reduced risk of in-stent restenosis. Moreover, the clinical trials and case studies that shed light on the potential of 3D printing technology to improve patient outcomes and revolutionize the field has been comprehensively discussed. Furthermore, regulatory considerations, and challenges in implementing 3D-printed stents in clinical practice are also addressed, underscoring the need for standardization and quality assurance to ensure patient safety and device reliability. This review highlights a comprehensive resource for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers seeking to harness the full potential of 3D printing technology in the fight against CVD.

The Role of Multimodality Imaging in Patients with Congenital Heart Disease and Infective Endocarditis

Infective endocarditis (IE) represents an important medical challenge, particularly in patients with congenital heart diseases (CHD). Its early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management to improve patient outcomes. Multimodality imaging is emerging as a powerful tool in the diagnosis and management of IE in CHD patients, offering a comprehensive and integrated approach that enhances diagnostic accuracy and guides therapeutic strategies. This review illustrates the utilities of each single multimodality imaging, including transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography (CCT), cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), and nuclear imaging modalities, in the diagnosis of IE in CHD patients. These imaging techniques provide crucial information about valvular and intracardiac structures, vegetation size and location, abscess formation, and associated complications, helping clinicians make timely and informed decisions. However, each one does have limitations that influence its applicability.

Myocardial Functional Imaging in Pediatric Nuclear Cardiology

The role of nuclear medicine in pediatric cardiology has grown rapidly over the years, providing useful functional and prognostic information and playing a complementary role to morphological imaging in the evaluation of myocardial perfusion, cardiovascular inflammation and infections, and cardiac sympathetic innervation. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize and highlight the most important evidence on pediatric nuclear cardiology, describing clinical applications and the possibilities, advantages, and limitations of nuclear medicine techniques. Moreover, a special focus will be given to the minimization of radiation exposure in pediatric nuclear cardiology imaging, a critical topic in children.

The Role of Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Modalities in Cardio-Oncology: From Early Detection to Unravelling Mechanisms of Cardiotoxicity

Advances in cancer therapies have led to a global improvement in patient survival rates. Nevertheless, the price to pay is a concomitant increase in cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality in this population. Increased inflammation and disturbances of the immune system are shared by both cancer and CV diseases. Immunological effects of anti-cancer treatments occur with both conventional chemotherapy and, to a greater extent, with novel biological therapies such as immunotherapy. For these reasons, there is growing interest in the immune system and its potential role at the molecular level in determining cardiotoxicity. Early recognition of these detrimental effects could help in identifying patients at risk and improve their oncological management. Non-invasive imaging already plays a key role in evaluating baseline CV risk and in detecting even subclinical cardiac dysfunction during surveillance. The aim of this review is to highlight the role of advanced cardiovascular imaging techniques in the detection and management of cardiovascular complications related to cancer treatment.

The Role of Multimodality Imaging in Pediatric Cardiomyopathies

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of myocardial diseases representing the first cause of heart transplantation in children. Diagnosing and classifying the different phenotypes can be challenging, particularly in this age group, where cardiomyopathies are often overlooked until the onset of severe symptoms. Cardiovascular imaging is crucial in the diagnostic pathway, from screening to classification and follow-up assessment. Several imaging modalities have been proven to be helpful in this field, with echocardiography undoubtedly representing the first imaging approach due to its low cost, lack of radiation, and wide availability. However, particularly in this clinical context, echocardiography may not be able to differentiate from cardiomyopathies with similar phenotypes and is often complemented with cardiovascular magnetic resonance. The latter allows a radiation-free differentiation between different phenotypes with unique myocardial tissue characterization, thus identifying the presence and extent of myocardial fibrosis. Nuclear imaging and computed tomography have a complementary role, although they are less used in daily clinical practice due to the concern related to the use of radiation in pediatric patients. However, these modalities may have some advantages in evaluating children with cardiomyopathies. This paper aims to review the strengths and limitations of each imaging modality in evaluating pediatric patients with suspected or known cardiomyopathies.

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance from Fetal to Adult Life-Indications and Challenges: A State-of-the-Art Review

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging offers a comprehensive, non-invasive, and radiation-free imaging modality, which provides a highly accurate and reproducible assessment of cardiac morphology and functions across a wide spectrum of cardiac conditions spanning from fetal to adult life. It minimises risks to the patient, particularly the risks associated with exposure to ionising radiation and the risk of complications from more invasive haemodynamic assessments. CMR utilises high spatial resolution and provides a detailed assessment of intracardiac and extracardiac anatomy, ventricular and valvular function, and flow haemodynamic and tissue characterisation, which aid in the diagnosis, and, hence, with the management of patients with cardiac disease. This article aims to discuss the role of CMR and the indications for its use throughout the different stages of life, from fetal to adult life.