Diagnostic Cardiovascular Imaging and Therapeutic Strategies in Pregnancy: JACC Focus Seminar 4/5

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in pregnancy, both diagnosed and previously unknown, is rising, and CVD is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Historically, women of child-bearing potential have been underrepresented in research, leading to lasting knowledge gaps in the cardiovascular care of pregnant and lactating women. Despite these limitations, clinicians should be familiar with the safety of frequently used diagnostic and therapeutic interventions to adequately care for this at-risk population. This review, the fourth of a 5-part series, provides evidence-based recommendations regarding the use of common cardiovascular diagnostic tests and medications in pregnant and lactating women.     

FDG PET Imaging and Cardiovascular Inflammation

The underlying pathologic mechanism of most acute coronary syndromes is atherosclerotic plaque rupture. One cause of rupture is plaque inflammation, leading to fibrous cap destabilization. Several imaging techniques, including x-ray coronary angiography and multislice CT, can be used for the detection of coronary atherosclerosis. However, these anatomical methods cannot measure arterial inflammation. Positron emission tomography imaging of atherosclerosis using the metabolic marker fluorodeoxyglucose allows quantification of arterial inflammation across multiple vessels. This review discusses the rationale, utility, potential future applications, and limitations of this emerging biomarker of cardiovascular risk.     

Cost-Effectiveness and Future Implications for Cardiovascular Imaging

This review highlights the current economic climate for health care and the evidentiary standards that are increasingly applied to appropriate use of cardiovascular imaging. Additionally, the evidence on cost efficiency and effectiveness is explored in this review. Ongoing multicentre registries and clinical trials will further enrich this evidence base with regard to value-based imaging strategies that provide enhanced effectiveness and efficiency resulting in improved patient outcomes.     

2011心血管影像回眸

基于影像学证据的诊断、治疗与干预措施越来越受到临床的重视。现以2011年国际发表的文献为基础,概述该年度在心血管影像领域包括超声心动图、核医学、磁共振成像、计算机断层成像、血管内超声及光学相干成像技术的最新进展与研究热点。     

Social Media Use in Cardiovascular Imaging

Social Media is a rising influence in the global world of cardiovascular medicine, allowing for a dynamic approach to physician education, research dissemination and collaborative discussion. The visual nature of social media platforms, particularly Twitter, lends itself particularly well to the tremendous advances and stunning visuals of cardiac imaging. The hashtag “#cardiotwitter” provides around the clock, asynchronous, ubiquitous, free education. It allows connection among cardiac imagers across the world to share ideas and discuss contemporary issues pertaining to multimodality imaging. This review highlights the role of social media in advancing the practice of cardiac imaging and provides guidance on gaining visibility in the social media imaging community.