What's New in Cardiac MRI? — May 06, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 89 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
May 06, 2026 · 89 articles · 15 research themes · covering April 29, 2026 – May 06, 2026
Overview
Across this week’s set of studies and reviews, cardiac MRI (and increasingly multimodality approaches) is being positioned as a central tool for earlier, more specific detection of myocardial injury and for longitudinal risk stratification. A dominant thread is tissue characterization—through LGE alternatives (e.g., contrast-free virtual LGE), parametric mapping (T1/T2/ECV), and advanced tissue biomarkers—used to detect diffuse or non-classic disease patterns (e.g., non-apical-sparing ATTR presentations, LGE-negative HCM abnormalities, and myocarditis phenotypes). Several works also emphasize that timing matters: CMR findings in Takotsubo vary systematically by acquisition phase, and early post-intervention or post-ablation imaging can capture clinically relevant inflammatory or microvascular injury.
Another major theme is moving from “single measurements” toward dynamic, physiology- and outcome-linked biomarkers. Examples include insulin resistance (eGDR) relating to fibrosis and incident heart failure, atrial cardiomyopathy markers predicting recurrent stroke/AF risk, and CMR-derived mechanics (e.g., mechanical dispersion, synchrony, hemodynamic force) improving prognostic or diagnostic performance beyond conventional metrics. In parallel, the field is refining how to interpret and act on CMR in complex clinical contexts—such as recurrent myocarditis, myocarditis vs biopsy necessity, and differentiating amyloid from dystrophic calcification.
Finally, the digest highlights rapid methodological innovation to make CMR more scalable and accessible: AI for reconstruction and segmentation, accelerated protocols, diffusion-based reconstruction, and privacy-preserving federated learning. Reviews also address future hardware (ultra-/low-field CMR) and sustainability, while congenital and surgical planning studies show how multimodality fusion and CMR-informed risk assessment can improve preoperative fidelity in complex congenital heart disease and Fontan pathways.
Cardiac MRI/CT for Congenital Heart Disease & Surgical Planning
Feasibility of 3D echocardiography-CT/CMR fusion to create atrioventricular valve-integrated 3D printed heart models in complex congenital heart disease: greater incremental benefit for surgeons than cardiac imagers.
This feasibility study evaluated whether multimodality 3D echocardiography-CT/CMR fusion can generate atrioventricular valve–integrated 3D printed heart models for pediatric patients with complex congenital heart disease, comparing perceived utility between pediatric cardiac surgeons and imaging cardiologists. The key finding was that adding valve structures via multimodality fusion provided greater incremental benefit for surgeons than for cardiac imagers in improving anatomical understanding and preoperative planning. This supports valve-inclusive multimodality fusion as a practical next step to increase surgical fidelity and usability of 3D printed models in complex CHD.
Villalobos-Lizardi JC, Yoo SJ, Peel B et al. · 3D printing in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Right Ventricular Apical Hypoplasia With a Novel Morphologic Presentation: The “Christmas Hat” Sign.
This case report studied a 9-year-old boy with right ventricular apical hypoplasia using multimodal imaging, including cardiac MRI. The key finding was a novel compensatory ventricular morphology in which an elongated left ventricular apex projected rightward, producing a distinctive “Christmas hat” sign. This expands the phenotypic spectrum of RV apical hypoplasia and can aid diagnosis and anatomical understanding in similar congenital presentations.
Meléndez-Ramírez G, Patrón-Chi SA, Figueroa-Galván FS et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Multi-Center Comparison of Hybrid and Norwood Procedure in Patients with Fontan Circulation.
This multicenter registry study compared hybrid stage 1 procedure (HS1P) versus the Norwood operation in patients with single-ventricle physiology who later underwent Fontan circulation, using propensity score matching and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) variables. HS1P and Norwood were evaluated for a composite outcome including death, transplant listing, protein-losing enteropathy, plastic bronchitis, atrial/ventricular tachyarrhythmia, and pulmonary artery (PA) reintervention, with secondary analyses stratifying HS1P shunt type (Sano vs Blalock–Taussig [BTTS]). The findings are clinically relevant for selecting the initial surgical strategy to optimize long-term Fontan outcomes and guide CMR-informed risk assessment.
Kobayashi K, Schiff M, Seese L et al. · The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Longitudinal Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Demonstrates Differential Pulmonary Artery Growth in Patients with Bilateral Bidirectional Glenn Circulations.
This single-center retrospective cohort study used longitudinal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to compare pulmonary artery (PA) growth and hemodynamics in patients with bilateral bidirectional Glenn (BBDG) versus unilateral bidirectional Glenn (BDG), including relationships among inter-superior vena cava (SVC) distance, pulmonary blood flow (PBF) splitting, and Fontan geometry. The key finding was that BBDG patients demonstrated differential PA growth over time compared with unilateral BDG, and the analysis linked Fontan geometry to PBF splitting using a linear regression model. Clinically, this informs how early-stage anatomy and flow distribution may predict later PA development and potentially guide surveillance and surgical planning in Fontan pathways.
Drysdale ND, Shad JM, Fujiwara T et al. · Pediatric cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac Amyloidosis Imaging (ATTR/AL) & Treatment Monitoring
When amyloid chooses sides: septal affection pattern as an atypical presentation of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy.
This report studied an atypical septal “affection pattern” presentation of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) in a clinical case context, focusing on how multimodality imaging can deviate from the classic apical sparing pattern. The key finding was that amyloid involvement can present with septal-predominant distribution rather than the typical basal/midventricular symmetric pattern, highlighting diagnostic variability. Clinically, recognizing non-classic imaging patterns is important for earlier ATTR-CM diagnosis and timely initiation of disease-specific therapy.
Maurer LA, Studer Bruengger AA, Wiedemann Buser MS et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular MR in Cardiac Amyloidosis: Part II-Clinical Applications in Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment Response.
This review examined how cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can be applied clinically in patients with cardiac amyloidosis, focusing on diagnosis, prognosis, and serial monitoring across amyloid subtypes and challenging scenarios such as indeterminate scintigraphy and light-chain disease. It reports that CMR measures of myocardial tissue characteristics and extracellular volume support differentiation from other causes of left ventricular wall thickening, enable early subtyping, and provide prognostic stratification, with emerging evidence for using serial CMR to monitor treatment response. These findings support CMR as a noninvasive tool to improve diagnostic accuracy and risk assessment and to potentially track therapeutic efficacy over time in cardiac amyloidosis.
Chen CY, Alvarez-Cardona J, Barac A · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in Cardiac Amyloidosis: Part I-Technical Foundations, Techniques, and Endpoints.
This review studied the technical foundations of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with cardiac amyloidosis, emphasizing how myocardial tissue characterization and extracellular volume mapping are used for differential diagnosis and early detection. It concludes that CMR is critical for noninvasively identifying amyloid-related pathology, distinguishing cardiac amyloidosis from other etiologies of hypertrophy/wall thickening, and enabling precise characterization and subtyping—particularly when disease is early. Clinically, this positions CMR as a key imaging modality to reduce diagnostic delay and improve management decisions in cardiac amyloidosis.
Chen CY, Alvarez-Cardona J, Barac A · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
False-Positive 99mTc-Pyrophosphate Uptake Due to Myocardial Calcification from Prior Viral Myocarditis.
This case report studied a patient undergoing 99mTc-pyrophosphate (PYP) imaging for suspected cardiac amyloidosis after a prior episode of severe viral myocarditis. It found diffusely increased PYP uptake on planar imaging that corresponded on SPECT/CT to extensive myocardial calcifications, demonstrating a false-positive amyloid pattern due to dystrophic calcification. The clinical significance is that SPECT/CT correlation can prevent misdiagnosis of transthyretin or other cardiac amyloidosis when prior myocarditis-related calcification causes PYP uptake.
Eshghi A, Stratford R, Vallurupalli S et al. · Clinical nuclear medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Prognostic parameters and detection of cardiac amyloidosis with hybrid 18F-Florbetaben-PET/MRI: an exploratory observational study.
This exploratory observational study assessed prognostic parameters and detection of cardiac amyloidosis using hybrid 18F-florbetaben PET/MRI, comparing imaging biomarkers from PET, CMR, and echocardiography with serum biomarkers across transthyretin (ATTR) and light-chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis. Imaging-derived measures from 18F-florbetaben PET/MRI and complementary cardiac imaging modalities were evaluated for prediction of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The study supports the potential of integrated PET/MRI biomarkers to improve risk stratification in cardiac amyloidosis beyond serum markers alone.
Kessler L, Tonscheidt W, Nassenstein K et al. · European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
CMR-based assessment of long-term effects of tafamidis in patients with cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis.
This observational CMR study evaluated long-term effects of tafamidis on cardiac disease progression in 56 patients with transthyretin (ATTR) cardiac amyloidosis cardiomyopathy using serial multi-parametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Patients receiving tafamidis 61 mg once daily after the first CMR were compared with an untreated group over an observational follow-up of about 27 months. If CMR endpoints show slower progression with tafamidis, CMR could serve as a practical tool to monitor long-term treatment response in ATTR-CM beyond 12 months.
Zlibut A, Bietenbeck M, Akyol N et al. · Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Myocarditis (Recurrent, Etiologies) & Inflammatory Cardiac Injury
Insights Into the Natural History of Recurrent Myocarditis, A Multicenter International Study (Re-Myo Study).
This multicenter international study investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of recurrent acute myocarditis (Re-AM) in 141 adults with biopsy- or cardiac MRI–proven recurrent myocarditis, compared with 372 patients with single acute myocarditis (S-AM). The key finding was that recurrence is associated with distinct clinical course and outcomes relative to single episodes, emphasizing the prognostic relevance of recurrence. This improves understanding of the natural history of recurrent myocarditis and can inform risk stratification and management strategies.
Baggio C, Cannata A, Gasperetti A et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
IgG4-related disease as an uncommon cause of myocarditis: a case report.
This case report described IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) presenting as myocarditis in a 65-year-old woman with recurrent chest pain and myocardial injury after corticosteroid taper. Cardiac imaging showed preserved coronary anatomy initially, followed by rapid decline in ejection fraction and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) evidence of myocardial edema, infarct scar, and patchy involvement consistent with myocarditis. The report is significant because it highlights IgG4-RD as an uncommon but important cause of myocarditis that may require targeted diagnostic consideration.
Ellis E, Grebennikov S, Denadai Benatti RJ · European heart journal. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Infliximab-induced lupus with recurrent pericarditis: longitudinal CMR assessment of inflammatory resolution.
This longitudinal case report evaluated infliximab-induced lupus presenting with recurrent pericarditis using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to track inflammatory resolution. CMR was used to precisely quantify pericardial inflammation over time, informing safe immunomodulatory tapering. The significance is that CMR can guide management decisions in rare biologic-induced autoimmune pericarditis by objectively monitoring inflammatory activity.
Mendpara V, El Roumi J, Klein A · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Endomyocardial biopsy in patients with myocarditis-still justified in the CMR era? A single-centre experience.
This single-centre study assessed whether endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) remains justified in patients presenting with myocarditis in the cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) era, stratifying risk by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤30%, severe arrhythmias, pre-existing autoimmune disease, and recurrent myocarditis. The key results (truncated in the abstract) report which myocarditis subgroups had sufficiently high risk/diagnostic yield to support EMB despite CMR availability. Clinically, the work supports more selective EMB use to balance diagnostic benefit against EMB complication concerns in myocarditis.
Seuthe K, Pfister R, Pennig L et al. · Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Takotsubo Syndrome & Stress-Related Cardiomyopathy
Sinus Node Dysfunction in Takotsubo Syndrome: An Uncommon Presentation.
This JACC Case Reports article studied a 68-year-old patient with Takotsubo syndrome who developed sinus node dysfunction (SND) during hospitalization. The key finding was that although left ventricular systolic function fully recovered after stress cardiomyopathy, the conduction abnormality persisted and required a permanent pacemaker. The case highlights that SND, though uncommon in Takotsubo syndrome, can be persistent and clinically consequential.
Zakynthinos GE, Kalogeras K, Vlachojannis GJ et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
CMR findings across disease phases in Takotsubo syndrome: insights from the multicenter EVOLUTION registry.
This retrospective EVOLUTION registry analysis studied 439 patients with Takotsubo syndrome and compared cardiac MRI (CMR) findings across disease phases defined by time from symptom onset to CMR: acute (1–72 hours), subacute (4–21 days), and late (≥22 days). The key finding was that CMR tissue characteristics and imaging patterns vary systematically by acquisition phase, reflecting dynamic myocardial changes over time. This helps clinicians interpret CMR results in TS more accurately depending on when imaging is performed.
Cau R, Luetkens J, Pontone G et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Wellens-like ECG pattern without LAD disease: Diagnostic value of early cardiac MRI.
This radiology case report described a Wellens-like ECG pattern without left anterior descending (LAD) coronary disease and evaluated the diagnostic value of early cardiac MRI in suspected acute coronary syndrome. In a 70-year-old woman with unobstructed coronaries on angiography, early cardiac MRI performed 48 hours after symptom onset showed mid-ventricular hypokinesis with apical akinesis, basal sparing, and characteristic edema/T1–ECV changes consistent with Takotsubo syndrome. The significance is that early cardiac MRI can help distinguish Takotsubo syndrome from LAD disease when ECG mimics Wellens’ pattern.
Dao BTT, Dương SP, Pham TM · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Myocardial Fibrosis, Tissue Characterization & Parametric Mapping
SSDiff: A Contrast-Free Virtual LGE Generator for Acute Myocardial Infarction with Joint Segmentation via Diffusion Model.
This study developed SSDiff, a contrast-free virtual late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) generator using a multitask conditional diffusion model with joint segmentation for acute myocardial infarction, trained to synthesize virtual LGE from routine cine plus T2-STIR. The key finding was that incorporating T2-STIR (edema-sensitive) alongside cine enabled contrast-free virtual LGE generation while also performing infarct delineation via joint segmentation. This could reduce reliance on gadolinium contrast and manual post-hoc contouring for assessing infarct viability in acute MI.
Qi J, Yue X, Hu M et al. · IEEE journal of biomedical and health informatics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Combined Atrioventricular Coupling Index in Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia: Insights From a Cross-Sectional Analysis.
This cross-sectional analysis assessed the combined atrioventricular coupling index (CACI) in 292 transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) patients from the E-MIOT project and compared it with 32 matched healthy controls, relating CACI to demographic/clinical variables, CMR findings, and cardiac complications. The study found that CACI was associated with cardiovascular status and complications in TDT, linking altered atrioventricular coupling to clinically relevant disease burden. These results suggest CACI could be a useful CMR-derived marker for risk stratification of cardiac complications in transfusion-dependent thalassemia.
Meloni A, Saba L, Positano V et al. · Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Strain Imaging in Heart Failure.
This review described how strain imaging using echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) detects subclinical myocardial dysfunction across the heart failure spectrum and in cardiomyopathies and cardio-oncology. The key finding is that quantifying myocardial deformation improves diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring beyond ejection fraction, with CMR advances (including AI) aiming to improve standardization and reproducibility. Clinically, this supports broader integration of strain imaging into heart failure management and longitudinal monitoring.
Hayes DE, Bayshtok G, Stojanovska J et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in Detecting Cardiovascular Involvement in Systemic Inflammatory Disease: Focus on Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Obesity, and Systemic Sclerosis.
This review focused on how cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can detect cardiovascular involvement in systemic inflammatory diseases, emphasizing inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and systemic sclerosis. It found that CMR provides advanced imaging biomarkers that can identify localized myocardial injury earlier than nonspecific biomarkers alone. This is significant because it supports CMR as a comprehensive, safe tool for early cardiovascular risk detection in chronic inflammatory conditions.
Zafirovska P, Popadic V, Popovic M et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular Involvement in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: Evaluation Using Cardiovascular MR Imaging.
This review evaluated cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) for assessing cardiovascular involvement in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs), covering coronary and non-coronary vascular disease, inflammatory cardiomyopathy, heart failure phenotypes, and valvular disease. The key finding is that CMR’s noninvasive functional and tissue characterization capabilities make it well-suited for diagnosis and follow-up of ARD-related cardiovascular disease. This supports CMR as an important imaging strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality driven by cardiovascular complications in ARDs.
Markousis-Mavrogenis G, Kitas GD, Sfikakis PP et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
NASCI case of the month: pericardial hemangioma.
This “case of the month” report describes a rare pericardial hemangioma and highlights how cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can characterize the lesion. The case demonstrates diagnostic utility of CMR features such as high T2-weighted signal intensity, a discontinuous peripheral nodular enhancement pattern, and contrast fill-in on late gadolinium enhancement. Accurate CMR-based differentiation of pericardial hemangioma from other cardiac/pericardial masses can prevent misdiagnosis and support appropriate clinical decision-making.
Tekin AF, Moghaddamimonaghi S, Zimmerman SL · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance-based Tissue Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes in Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
This study characterized cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) tissue biomarkers in patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) and related them to clinical outcomes. Compared with controls, ApHCM patients showed differences in CMR tissue characterization parameters (T1, T2, extracellular volume [ECV], and extent of late gadolinium enhancement [LGE]), and these biomarkers were associated with a composite outcome including non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on Holter, ICD implantation, or heart-failure hospitalization. The findings support CMR tissue metrics as risk-relevant biomarkers for adverse events in ApHCM.
Schamroth Pravda N, Itelman E, Plakht Y et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Myocardial Fibrosis Evaluated by T1 Mapping and Its Relationship to Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Strain, and T2 Value in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Without Late Gadolinium Enhancement.
This prospective CMR study evaluated T1 and T2 mapping in 48 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients without late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and compared them with 20 matched healthy controls, relating mapping values to LV hypertrophy and myocardial strain. It found that HCM patients without LGE had altered T1/T2 values and that these parameters correlated with LV hypertrophy and strain measures. These results suggest T1/T2 mapping can detect diffuse myocardial abnormalities in LGE-negative HCM and may improve characterization of disease severity.
Zhi Y, Zhang TY, Gui FD et al. · Journal of thoracic imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Role of Three-Tesla Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Evaluation of Cardiac Masses.
This prospective observational study assessed the diagnostic utility of 3-Tesla cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (3T CMR) for cardiac masses in a cohort of patients evaluated at a single center, with comparison to echocardiography. It aimed to characterize masses, identify associated findings, and measure agreement with echocardiographic diagnoses. If 3T CMR improves benign versus malignant differentiation and diagnostic concordance, it could strengthen noninvasive decision-making for cardiac mass management.
Kalekar T, Gupta A · Annals of African medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Non-specific myocardial fibrosis in young competitive athletes: clinical significance and risk prediction by a powerful machine learning-based model.
This study compared 61 young competitive athletes with non-specific myocardial fibrosis (NSMF) to 75 matched controls and followed them for adverse events, with NSMF categorized into minor fibrosis versus major fibrosis defined as non-insertion point fibrosis. Using machine learning (ML) classifiers, the authors developed a prediction model for major fibrosis based on baseline data (specific model performance details are truncated in the abstract). The scientific significance is that ML-driven risk prediction could help identify young athletes with NSMF patterns more likely to be clinically consequential.
Androulakis E, Marwaha S, Dikaros N et al. · Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
The Significance of Parametric Mapping in Advanced Cardiac Imaging.
This narrative review examined the clinical significance of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) parametric mapping techniques, focusing on T1 mapping, T2 mapping, and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) for myocardial tissue characterization. It reports that native T1 mapping correlates with histopathological fibrosis and that ECV can predict adverse outcomes in heart failure, while elevated T2 relaxation time indicates myocardial edema. The significance is that parametric mapping provides noninvasive biomarkers that improve diagnosis, staging, and prognostication across multiple cardiac pathologies.
Khachatoorian Y, Fuisz A, Frishman WH et al. · Cardiology in review · (2024) · View on PubMed ↗
Recovery of cardiac function in Desmin cardiomyopathy with medical therapy.
This case report described a 24-year-old asymptomatic male with Desmin cardiomyopathy caused by DES gene variants, in whom medical therapy was associated with recovery of cardiac function. Diagnosis was supported by CMR showing a characteristic ring-like late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) pattern, endomyocardial biopsy, and genetic testing identifying DES and CRYAB variants (device therapy was declined). The significance is that it highlights potential reversibility and phenotype variability in DES/CRYAB-associated desmin cardiomyopathy, informing counseling and management of rare hereditary cardiomyopathies.
Yu M, Pu L, Wang J et al. · Orphanet journal of rare diseases · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac Remodeling, Heart Failure Risk & Cardiometabolic Links
Glucose Disposal Rate: A Novel Measure of Insulin Resistance Associated With Myocardial Fibrosis and Incident Heart Failure.
This cohort study examined whether the estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), a surrogate of insulin resistance, is associated with myocardial fibrosis and incident heart failure in 6,025 MESA participants free of heart failure at exam 2. The key finding was that lower eGDR (higher insulin resistance) correlated with greater myocardial fibrosis on cardiac MRI and predicted incident heart failure during follow-up. Scientifically and clinically, eGDR may help identify cardiometabolic risk linked to myocardial remodeling and future HF.
Bukhari S, Kwapong YA, Yanek LR et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Survival of patients with complete metabolic response on [18F]FDG PET/CT after chemotherapy prior to transplantation for colorectal liver metastases.
This retrospective survival analysis studied 45 patients with colorectal liver metastases undergoing transplantation who achieved complete metabolic response (CMR) on pre-transplant [18F]FDG PET/CT after chemotherapy, stratified by metabolic tumor volume (MTV 0 vs low vs high). The key finding was that patients with MTV=0 (CMR) had favorable disease-free survival and overall survival compared with groups with nonzero MTV, with implications for post-relapse outcomes. This supports [18F]FDG PET/CT CMR as a prognostic biomarker for transplant selection and outcome prediction in CRLM.
Stern NM, Dueland S, Line PD et al. · Scandinavian journal of surgery : SJS : official organ for the Finnish Surgical Society and the Scandinavian Surgical Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Senescence dynamics define therapeutic windows for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in DBA/2-mdx mice.
This preclinical study in DBA/2-mdx mice tested whether the timing of senescent cell clearance using the senolytic combination dasatinib plus quercetin (D+Q) affects therapeutic windows in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Senescence dynamics in skeletal and cardiac muscle were used to define early versus late treatment windows, and D+Q administered during the appropriate phase improved functional outcomes such as skeletal muscle strength (e.g., grip strength) and ex vivo force measures. These results are significant because they support senescence-timed senolytic therapy as a strategy to maximize benefit in DMD-like pathology.
Calls-Cobos A, Beà Tàrrega A, Cisneros A et al. · Skeletal muscle · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Twenty years of age-standardized prostate cancer mortality in Kazakhstan (2005-2024): joinpoint model and geographical hot spot and cold spot analysis.
This nationwide observational analysis assessed prostate cancer mortality in Kazakhstan (men; ICD-10 C61) from 2005–2024 using joinpoint regression for time trends and Getis-Ord Gi* for geographic hot spot/cold spot clustering across multiple time periods. The study quantified crude and age-standardized mortality rates and identified where mortality increased or decreased over time and where spatial clustering occurred. The results are important for public health planning by pinpointing regions and periods with elevated prostate cancer mortality burden.
Igissinova G, Igissin N, Yermek N et al. · BMC public health · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Endometriosis, subclinical cardiac remodeling, and cardiovascular risk: mechanistic insights from cardiac magnetic resonance and mediation analysis.
Using UK Biobank data (6,158 women with endometriosis and 229,453 without) and a hospital validation cohort (laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis vs age-matched controls), this study investigated whether endometriosis is associated with subclinical cardiac remodeling and cardiovascular risk, and tested mechanisms via mediation analysis using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). The key finding was that endometriosis-related cardiovascular risk signals were accompanied by measurable CMR remodeling patterns, with mediation analysis supporting mechanistic pathways linking endometriosis to cardiovascular outcomes. This is significant because it strengthens the evidence that endometriosis has systemic cardiovascular effects that may be detectable before overt disease.
Feng Y, Nie K, Xiao M et al. · Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Associations of MRI-derived Paraspinal IMAT and LMM with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: Results from a German Cohort.
This prospective multicenter German cohort study (NAKO; n=11,348 adults without known pre-existing conditions) used whole-body 3-T MRI to quantify paraspinal intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and lean muscle mass (LMM) and tested their associations with cardiometabolic risk factors. The key finding was that MRI-derived IMAT and LMM were associated with cardiometabolic risk in individuals without established disease, with effects that could be independent and/or combined. Scientifically and clinically, it supports using body-composition MRI biomarkers to identify cardiometabolic risk earlier in apparently healthy populations.
Ziegelmayer S, Häntze H, Mertens C et al. · Radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Heterogeneous Myocardial Adaptation to Pressure Overload Reveals a Spared, Vulnerable Segment Identified by Multiparametric Cardiac MRI.
This experimental study investigated how chronic pressure overload produces heterogeneous myocardial adaptation in 37 male 129/SvEv mice using transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and longitudinal high-resolution multiparametric cardiac MRI over 7 weeks. It finds that regional adaptation phenotypes emerge rather than uniform concentric hypertrophy, and that a spared yet vulnerable LV segment can be identified by multiparametric MRI and relates to local functional differences and global ventricular dysfunction. The scientific significance is improved mechanistic understanding of pressure-overload cardiomyopathy and a potential imaging biomarker for segment-level vulnerability.
Koch V, Ochs AT, Martin S et al. · NMR in biomedicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Sex-specific associations between frailty and long-term outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a national population-based study.
This retrospective national cohort study used the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (MINAP) linked to hospital admission and mortality registries in England and Wales (2005–2019) to examine whether frailty—measured with the Secondary Care Administrative Records Frailty (SCARF) index—predicts long-term outcomes after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) differently in women versus men. Frailty was associated with worse long-term outcomes after AMI, and the prognostic impact of frailty showed sex-specific differences rather than being fully explained by women’s higher frailty burden at presentation. These findings support incorporating frailty assessment into post-AMI risk stratification with attention to sex-specific prognostic effects to improve clinical targeting of follow-up and interventions.
Mohiaddin H, Mosanya CH, Lawson C et al. · The Lancet regional health. Europe · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Circulating Proteins Link Obesity With Cardiac Remodeling: Insights From Mendelian Randomization.
This study used two-sample Mendelian randomization to test whether obesity causally drives subclinical cardiac remodeling and heart failure risk, using visceral adipose tissue, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio (adjusted for BMI) as obesity exposures. It performed a systematic scan of circulating plasma proteins to identify potential causal pathways and novel drug targets linking obesity to CMR-derived cardiac traits and HF risk. The work suggests protein-mediated mechanisms may be actionable for preventing obesity-associated cardiac remodeling and heart failure.
Mao Y, Wu T, Jiang Y et al. · Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiotoxicity from Cancer Therapy (Oncology Cardio-Oncology)
Predictive value of [18F]FDG PET/CT and index lymph node response following neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in resectable stage 3 melanoma: Real world data from the largest melanoma centres in the Netherlands.
In a retrospective real-world cohort of patients with resectable stage III melanoma treated with two cycles of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab at two Dutch melanoma centers, this study evaluated whether [18F]FDG PET/CT metabolic response and index lymph node (ILN) response predict major pathological response (MPR). The key finding was that post-treatment [18F]FDG PET/CT and ILN response metrics had predictive value for identifying responders after neoadjuvant pembrolizumab. This is clinically important for selecting patients who may benefit from continued standard therapy versus potential surgical de-escalation strategies.
Wilson MJ, Schurink AW, Schrage Y et al. · European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Early Detection of Acute and Early-Onset Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction in Children With Cancer Using a Multiparametric Approach: Methodological Aspects of the EARLY Study.
This methodological paper for the EARLY study described how to detect acute and early-onset cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) in children with cancer using a multiparametric approach combining advanced echocardiography, electrocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). In a prospective pilot design, 100 children newly diagnosed with childhood cancer receiving anthracyclines were enrolled, with a subgroup undergoing detailed CMR-based assessment during and shortly after treatment. The significance lies in establishing practical, sensitive monitoring strategies to identify cardiotoxicity early enough to enable timely intervention.
Kouwenberg TW, Grotenhuis HB, Kremer LCM et al. · Cancer medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Challenges of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation and CD19 Testing Following Tafasitamab Plus Lenalidomide for Relapsed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
This case report described an 81-year-old hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with tafasitamab plus lenalidomide. It reports that the patient achieved and maintained a complete metabolic response for 1.5 years, but experienced HBV reactivation after four cycles, highlighting the need for HBV monitoring and testing (including CD19-related considerations) when using this regimen. Clinically, it underscores that immunotherapy with tafasitamab/lenalidomide can trigger HBV reactivation even in carriers, requiring proactive surveillance and management.
Yu TC, Chou WC · Journal of medical cases · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Efficacy and safety of blinatumomab combination therapy in high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated blinatumomab-based combination therapies in high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), pooling data from 11 studies totaling 402 patients. It reports high efficacy with pooled complete remission (CR) rate of 87% and MRD negativity rate of 81%, while summarizing safety outcomes including adverse events, cytokine release syndrome, neurological events, and hematologic toxicity. The clinical significance is that combination regimens incorporating blinatumomab show strong response and MRD outcomes in high-risk B-ALL, supporting their use while informing safety expectations.
Wang M, Yu X, Zou Z et al. · Oncology letters · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Comprehensive non-invasive assessment of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and myocardial involvement in heart transplant patients using cardiac computed tomography.
This study evaluated comprehensive noninvasive cardiac computed tomography (CT) assessment in heart transplant patients, focusing on extracellular volume measured by CT (ECVCT) as a marker of myocardial involvement. It compared CT-derived ECVCT in heart transplant patients versus controls and explored clinical determinants and associations with graft-related pathology, aiming to reduce reliance on invasive biopsy and coronary angiography. The significance is advancing CT-based, noninvasive monitoring of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and myocardial injury in heart transplant care.
Ouslim Z, Charpentier E, Coutance G et al. · European journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Time to adopt a new standard method for assessing cardiac function in chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis compared early diagnostic accuracy and temporal sensitivity of global longitudinal strain (GLS), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)–derived indices for chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients. The key finding was that newer measures such as GLS and CMR parameters may detect subclinical myocardial dysfunction earlier than LVEF, which is often late and less sensitive. Scientifically, it supports adopting a new standard monitoring approach that improves early detection of anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity.
Linhares BG, Linhares DG, Vale RGS et al. · Current problems in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Right ventricular and biatrial CMR strain analysis detects myocardial functional impairment after breast cancer therapy.
This prospective single-center study assessed myocardial cardiotoxicity after breast cancer therapy in 38 women receiving systemic anthracycline chemotherapy by using cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) to quantify right ventricular (RV) strain and biatrial strain at baseline and 12-month follow-up. CMR-FT detected functional impairment in the RV and both atria after therapy, indicating subclinical cardiotoxic effects. These findings support CMR-FT strain as a sensitive, noninvasive tool for early detection of anthracycline-related cardiac dysfunction.
Aydemir DG, Molwitz I, Beitzen-Heineke A et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound versus conventional endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy with macroscopic on-site evaluation for solid pancreatic lesions: a multicenter randomized trial.
This multicenter randomized trial compared contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (CE-EUS) versus conventional EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (FNB) with macroscopic on-site evaluation (MOSE) for solid pancreatic lesions (≥1 cm) across Hong Kong, Italy, and Korea. The study’s key outcomes were false-negative rate and diagnostic performance metrics (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy) for tissue diagnosis. If CE-EUS improves diagnostic yield over conventional EUS-FNB+MOSE, it could reduce repeat procedures and improve diagnostic efficiency for pancreatic cancer workup.
Chong CCN, Ligresti D, Kim TH et al. · Gastrointestinal endoscopy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Silent damage, early signals: A narrative review of the evolving role of cardiac biomarkers in oncology-driven cardiotoxicity.
This narrative review summarized the evolving role of cardiac biomarkers for early detection of oncology-driven cardiotoxicity, focusing on agents such as anthracyclines and trastuzumab. It highlights that biomarkers including high-sensitivity troponins, natriuretic peptides, Galectin-3, soluble ST2, and emerging molecular markers can signal myocardial injury and dysfunction before clinical symptoms appear. Clinically, broader biomarker-based surveillance could enable earlier intervention to prevent progression to heart failure in cancer patients.
Aura C, Salcedo L, Loayza Pintado J et al. · Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Arrhythmias, Conduction Disorders & Ventricular Function Metrics
Performance of EQ5D-5L and AHPEQS for measuring outcomes and experiences of patients with peripherally inserted central catheters: a secondary analysis.
This secondary analysis evaluated the performance of the patient-reported outcome measure EQ5D-5L and the patient-reported experience measure AHPEQS for discriminating PICC failure incidence among adults. The key finding was that these instruments can be used to capture patient-experienced outcomes relevant to PICC-associated complications and may help distinguish risk of PICC failure. This supports integrating patient-reported measures into monitoring and evaluation of PICC care quality.
Larsen EN, Ullman AJ, Marsh N et al. · Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Measurement of global longitudinal strain using the apical four-chamber view as a simple indicator for assessing myocardial longitudinal deformation in patients with functional single ventricle.
This retrospective study evaluated whether longitudinal strain measured from the apical four-chamber view (LS-4CH) can substitute for average global longitudinal strain derived from multiple apical views (GLS-AV) in 34 patients with functional single ventricle (FSV). LS-4CH showed sufficient consistency with GLS-AV across FSV subtypes, indicating that a simplified single-view protocol may be adequate. Standardizing strain acquisition in FSV could improve reproducibility and comparability of myocardial deformation assessment across centers.
Liao M, Pan J, Duan S et al. · BMC cardiovascular disorders · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Bridging the Gap: Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Guidelines to Clinical Practice in Sport Cardiology.
This article reviewed how cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) guidelines translate into clinical practice for athletes and physically active individuals with suspected or diagnosed cardiovascular disease in sport cardiology. It finds that CMR’s combined tissue characterization plus functional and morphologic assessment helps distinguish physiologic exercise adaptations from pathologic conditions that can mimic them. This is significant because it supports safer, more accurate evaluation of athletes, reducing misdiagnosis and guiding appropriate return-to-play and treatment decisions.
Chen CY, Yunk JR, Lazareska M et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Corrective steps during neonatal mask ventilation - a narrative review of the evidence behind the MR SOPA acronym.
This narrative review evaluated the evidence supporting the MR SOPA mnemonic for corrective steps during neonatal mask ventilation in newborn resuscitation. It concludes that key components—especially correct mask sizing/placement to reduce leak and obstruction, and systematic repositioning/suctioning/opening/pressure adjustment/alternative airway escalation—are variably supported but collectively useful as sequential guidance when ventilation is inadequate. The clinical significance is improved, evidence-informed airway management during neonatal resuscitation by standardizing corrective actions to restore effective ventilation.
Gaertner VD, Mileder LP, Springer L et al. · Resuscitation plus · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI with metric optimized gating in pediatric patients with ventricular bigeminy.
This pediatric imaging study assessed a cardiac MRI strategy for ventricular bigeminy using artificial triggering followed by metric optimized gating (MOG) reconstruction. The approach enabled reconstruction of diagnostic-quality cine images and allowed quantitative flow and volumetric analyses while preserving the abnormal arrhythmic cycle rather than suppressing or excluding it. Clinically, it supports more accurate hemodynamic assessment in children with irregular rhythms who cannot be reliably imaged with conventional ECG gating.
Wang H, Goolaub DS, Valverde I et al. · Pediatric radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
[Update on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].
This 2026 update article reviewed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with emphasis on differentiating primary genetic HCM from secondary acquired causes and the role of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in diagnosis. It highlights that genetic testing should be considered for many HCM forms, particularly common primary HCM, and that arrhythmia risk stratification is mandatory for primary HCM while symptomatic therapy is especially relevant for left ventricular outflow obstruction. The clinical significance is improved diagnostic and risk-management pathways integrating CMR and genetics for patients with HCM.
Rieth AJ, Seidler T · Innere Medizin (Heidelberg, Germany) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Prognostic Value of Left Ventricular Standardized Mechanical Dispersion Derived From Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
This study evaluated standardized left ventricular mechanical dispersion (sLVMD), derived from cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) feature-tracking strain, for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). sLVMD (computed as LV mechanical dispersion normalized by cardiac cycle length) was prognostic for MACEs and provided incremental predictive value beyond conventional CMR and clinical variables. The results suggest sLVMD from routine CMR feature tracking could improve risk prediction and guide management in DCM.
Zhu S, Li L, Liu X et al. · Academic radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Third-degree atrioventricular block as a rare complication of disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI): A case report.
This case report studied disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) as a cause of third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block in a 36-year-old cis-male who has sex with men. The key finding was complete AV dissociation attributable to DGI, highlighting cardiac involvement as an uncommon but serious complication. Clinically, it emphasizes considering Neisseria gonorrhoeae–related DGI in patients with unexplained high-grade AV block and systemic inflammatory symptoms.
Goodfellow JJ, Hendy C, Temple A et al. · International journal of STD & AIDS · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Changes in CMR-derived ventricular strain, fibrosis progression and outcomes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
This retrospective study evaluated sequential cardiac MRI (CMR) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients (n=114) to track progression using ventricular strain and fibrosis measures over two scans across ~10 years. The key finding was that changes in CMR-derived strain and fibrosis progression over time predicted a composite outcome including sudden cardiac death, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, stroke, new-onset AF, and heart failure hospitalization. This is clinically significant because it supports using longitudinal CMR metrics for risk prediction and monitoring HCM progression.
Aimo A, Barison A, Franco AD et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Predictors of sudden cardiac death in postmyectomy hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with obstruction.
This study evaluated predictors of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in consecutive patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction who underwent surgical septal myectomy, using complete preoperative contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) data. In 1389 patients, the authors identified clinical and CMR-derived factors associated with the post-myectomy composite endpoint of SCD and its equivalents (details truncated in the abstract). These findings aim to improve post-surgical risk stratification for SCD in obstructive HCM patients using CMR-based predictors.
Zhu C, Yang S, Zhao K et al. · Heart rhythm · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Valvular & Hemodynamic Assessment (Including 4D Flow)
Aortic 4D flow CMR for the assessment of hemodynamics in aortic stenosis: association with markers of cardiac decompensation and remodeling.
This observational study investigated whether aortic 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) hemodynamic metrics in aortic stenosis (AS) are associated with markers of left ventricular (LV) decompensation and remodeling. In 59 AS patients, 4D flow CMR-derived parameters such as turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and altered velocity/flow organization were analyzed for associations with established remodeling/decompensation markers. The scientific significance is that noninvasive 4D flow CMR may provide physiologically relevant biomarkers linking aortic flow abnormalities to LV structural and functional deterioration.
Gotschy A, Binter C, Schlenker R et al. · American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Left circumflex coronary artery to coronary sinus fistula diagnosed by 4D flow cardiac MR-advanced cardiac imaging.
This case study investigated a rare left circumflex coronary artery to coronary sinus fistula in a patient using 4D flow cardiac MRI/advanced cardiac imaging. The 4D flow sequence provided detailed anatomical delineation and enabled quantification of the coronary shunt. This supports 4D flow CMR as a clinically useful, noninvasive technique for diagnosing and characterizing coronary artery fistulas.
Mistinova JP, Helebrandt M, Adamova K et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
The effects of aging on left ventricular diastolic function evaluated with 4D flow MRI: a novel approach using mitral velocity and propagation velocity measurements.
This study investigated how aging affects left ventricular diastolic function using 4D flow MRI-derived parameters—mitral inflow velocity, flow filling rate, and propagation velocity (VP)—and compared them with echocardiography (TTE) in 60 healthy volunteers aged 20–80 years. The key finding (truncated in the abstract) is that diastolic filling metrics derived from 4D-flow MRI can characterize age-related changes in LV filling physiology. The significance is that 4D-flow MRI may provide a novel, physiology-based alternative to echocardiographic diastolic indices for studying aging-related diastolic decline.
Stipechi LV, Craiem D, Gencer U et al. · Physiological measurement · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Pulmonary Hypertension & Right-Heart Imaging/Prognosis
The Right Ventricle, the Forgotten Chamber or Not.
This review assessed whether the right ventricle (RV) is truly “forgotten” by summarizing current and emerging cardiac MR imaging (CMR) approaches for RV evaluation. It found that CMR is the superior modality for reproducible RV assessment of volumes and ejection fraction and that advanced techniques (e.g., 4D flow, diffuse tensor imaging, RV coupling, deep learning, computational fluid dynamics) may further improve diagnostic capability. The significance is that expanding RV-focused CMR methods could enhance prognostication and treatment planning across multiple cardiovascular diseases.
Srinivasan R, Castiglione A, Antonchak M et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
The role of the right ventricle in pulmonary arterial hypertension and imaging methods for non-invasive evaluation.
This expert review summarized the role of the right ventricle in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and evaluated noninvasive imaging methods for right-heart assessment. It emphasizes that RV overload and eventual right heart failure drive morbidity and mortality in PAH, and it reviews advances in monitoring and imaging approaches to evaluate RV function without invasive procedures. Scientifically and clinically, improved noninvasive RV imaging could enable earlier detection of deterioration and better guidance of emerging PAH therapies.
Kiyota T, Mendes P, Pereira MC · Expert review of respiratory medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Characteristics and Prognostic Value of MRI-Derived Left Ventricular Hemodynamics in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.
This prospective, consecutive CMR study evaluated left ventricular (LV) hemodynamic force (HDF) patterns derived from 2-, 3-, and 4-chamber long-axis views in participants with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), with all-cause mortality as the primary endpoint. The authors used Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier analyses to determine whether LV HDF-derived hemodynamic patterns predict prognosis (specific hazard ratios and pattern associations are truncated in the abstract). The significance is that MRI-derived LV hemodynamic metrics may refine risk stratification in PAH beyond right-heart measures.
Wang J, Guo J, Zhao J et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Atrial Fibrillation, Atrial Cardiomyopathy & Stroke Risk
Atrial fibrillation is linked to increased left ventricular fibrosis and inflammation measured by CMR with prognostic implications.
This single-center CMR registry study compared left ventricular (LV) fibrosis and inflammation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) versus those without AF, using CMR tissue mapping and outcome adjudication. AF was associated with increased LV fibrosis (native T1 and extracellular volume [ECV]) and inflammation (T2), with prognostic implications for subsequent clinical outcomes after adjustment for LV ejection fraction and volumes. These data support AF as a driver of adverse LV tissue remodeling detectable by CMR, providing mechanistic and prognostic insight into AF-related heart failure risk.
Treiber JM, Wolter JS, Backhaus SJ et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Left atrial cardiomyopathy: association with atrial fibrillation and stroke recurrence.
This observational study investigated left atrial (LA) cardiomyopathy markers—LA emptying fraction (LAEF), LA volumes, and LA fibrosis by cardiac MRI with late gadolinium enhancement—in 91 recent-stroke patients without known atrial fibrillation. The key finding was an association between functional/structural LA dysfunction and subsequent stroke recurrence and/or new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) (full results truncated). Clinically, it supports using CMR-derived LA fibrosis and function to refine AF/stroke risk stratification after cryptogenic or non-AF strokes.
Friderichsen LBH, Larsen BS, Aplin M et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Non-contrast 3D T1-weighted MRI at 3T for early detection of atrial lesions post-ablation in atrial fibrillation: a pilot study.
This pilot study assessed feasibility of non-contrast 3T cardiac MRI using a native 3D T1-weighted Bright-blood and black-blood phase SensiTive (BOOST) sequence to detect acute atrial lesions after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in atrial fibrillation. The key finding was that BOOST imaging could identify and characterize acute pulmonary vein antrum lesions within one hour post-RFA and be compared with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and procedural RFA parameters. Scientifically, it suggests a gadolinium-free approach for early post-ablation lesion assessment.
Deux JF, Kassai M, Johner N et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Dark-Blood Dual-Energy Cardiac CT for Evaluating Left Atrial Fibrosis, Atrial Fibrillation Type, and Post-Ablation Recurrence: A Retrospective Study Using Cardiac MR as Reference.
This retrospective study evaluated feasibility of dual-energy cardiac CT (DE-CCT) using dark-blood images with 5-minute post-injection iodine quantification in 81 pre-ablation patients with atrial fibrillation, with left atrial cardiac MR (LA-CMR) as the reference standard. Dark-blood DE-CCT showed high specificity for detecting left atrial fibrosis and was used to classify AF type and assess post-ablation recurrence risk. If validated prospectively, dark-blood DE-CCT could provide a noninvasive imaging biomarker to stratify fibrosis burden and recurrence risk before AF ablation.
Chong H, Like L, Xu Z et al. · Academic radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Ischemia, Microvascular Dysfunction & INOCA
Spontaneous myocardial injury in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Coexistence of microvascular dysfunction and microvascular obstruction.
This radiology case report described spontaneous myocardial injury in a 58-year-old man with genetically confirmed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), emphasizing coexistence of microvascular dysfunction (MVD) and microvascular obstruction (MVO). Cardiac biomarkers and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) findings supported the diagnosis, including severe inducible myocardial ischemia on stress imaging. The significance is that spontaneous injury in HCM may involve both MVD and MVO, which can be characterized noninvasively with CMR to refine pathophysiologic understanding and management.
Panyawongkhanti M, Theerasuwipakorn N, Khongphatthanayothin A et al. · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Novel insights into myocardial synchrony: A CMR-based approach for improving the detection of coronary artery disease at rest.
This prospective CMR study developed and validated a CMR-based method to quantify myocardial synchrony for improving detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) at rest. In participants with anatomically/angiographically obstructive CAD (n=112) and healthy controls (n=87), myocardial synchrony was quantified using Pearson correlation coefficients of segmental strain time-series from CMR feature tracking, and machine-learning models using synchrony (alone or combined with strain) improved diagnostic detection of CAD-related myocardial dysfunction. The approach suggests that CMR-derived synchrony metrics could enhance noninvasive CAD detection even without stress testing.
Hua M, Liang R, Nie W et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Assessment of Myocardial Microvascular Function in Athletes Using Resting Cardiac Magnetic Resonance First-Pass Perfusion.
This prospective study evaluated myocardial microvascular function in athletes using resting cardiac MRI first-pass perfusion in 186 athletes and 43 controls. The key finding was characterization of microvascular perfusion differences between athletes and controls using resting first-pass perfusion metrics (abstract truncated). This is clinically relevant because it may enable early detection of microvascular dysfunction and guide cardiovascular risk assessment in physically active populations.
Liu Q, Li C, Qi WY et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Microvascular Dysfunction in Ischemia with No Obstructive Coronary Arteries (INOCA): Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Emerging Therapies.
This review summarized evidence on ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA), focusing on microvascular dysfunction mechanisms and diagnostic approaches using coronary flow reserve (CFR), index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR), and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and other tests, plus emerging therapies. The key finding is that coronary microvascular dysfunction can be driven by endothelial dysfunction as well as inflammation and oxidative stress, and that both noninvasive and invasive assessments can guide treatment selection (details truncated in the abstract). Scientifically and clinically, it frames how to diagnose and target microvascular disease in INOCA despite angiographically normal epicardial coronaries.
Senapati S, Shah J, Kattamuri L et al. · Cardiovascular & hematological disorders drug targets · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Coronary Intervention Outcomes & Post-PCI Microvascular Injury
Hyperglycaemia, inflammation and early cardiac remodelling in non-surgically revascularized STEMI: the role of microvascular obstruction and intramyocardial haemorrhage.
This single-center cohort study evaluated 60 STEMI patients (2019–2020) who underwent successful non-surgical revascularization, using contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI performed 48±6 hours post-intervention to assess microvascular obstruction (MVO) and intramyocardial hemorrhage (IMH) and their links to hyperglycemia, inflammation, and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. It reports the incidence and combined effects of MVO and IMH and associates these microvascular injury markers with metabolic/inflammatory status and subsequent LV dysfunction after reperfusion. The clinical significance is that early CMR detection of MVO/IMH may help identify patients at higher risk for adverse remodeling despite PCI success, potentially informing risk stratification and targeted management.
Ryabov V, Vyshlov E, Dil S et al. · Indian journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Thrombolytic therapy before percutaneous coronary intervention improves short-term cardiac function evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
This clinical study tested whether half-dose recombinant staphylokinase (r-SAK) intravenous bolus given before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improves short-term cardiac outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Compared with normal saline, pre-PCI r-SAK improved cardiac function at 5 days post-MI as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), including myocardial tissue characteristics and strain with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)–based segment classification. The significance is potential evidence that thrombolysis with r-SAK before PCI can enhance early myocardial recovery measurable by CMR.
Yin J, Gong H, Wang Y et al. · Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Ischemia modulation via coronary revascularization and effects on the arrhythmic substrate.
This study assessed whether coronary revascularization alters the ventricular arrhythmic substrate in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF ≤40%) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass surgery. The key finding was the relationship between changes in ischemia/scar and the arrhythmic substrate after revascularization (details truncated in the abstract). This is clinically significant because it informs whether revascularization can modify arrhythmia risk beyond improving ischemia.
Morgan H, Chiribiri A, Strocchi M et al. · Heart rhythm · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac magnetic resonance in acute myocardial infarction undergoing thrombus aspiration.
This single-center observational cohort study assessed whether clinically indicated thrombus aspiration (TA) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) affects myocardial microvascular obstruction (MVO) and scar/remodeling in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), using CMR at baseline and 12 months. The key finding (truncated in the abstract) addresses the impact of TA on CMR measures of MVO and long-term myocardial scar/remodeling compared with PCI without TA. Clinically, it informs whether TA provides durable myocardial protection beyond its intended reduction of distal embolization.
Del Torto A, Ventura E, Cannata F et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac Sarcoidosis Imaging & Therapy Response
Diagnostic performance of 68 Ga-DOTANOC PET/computed tomography in cardiac sarcoidosis: comparison with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance.
This prospective study evaluated diagnostic performance of 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT for cardiac sarcoidosis in 23 patients, comparing it with 18F-FDG PET/CT and cardiac MRI. The key finding was that 68Ga-DOTANOC, which targets somatostatin receptors and shows minimal physiologic myocardial uptake, may provide an alternative to FDG PET/CT without requiring stringent dietary suppression. This is significant for improving practical imaging of sarcoid granuloma activity and therapy response in suspected cardiac sarcoidosis.
Solanki R, Sood A, Bahl A et al. · Nuclear medicine communications · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Redefining Cardiac Sarcoidosis with Advanced Imaging and Therapeutic Strategies.
This narrative review synthesized evidence on redefining cardiac sarcoidosis using advanced imaging (cardiac MRI and 18F-FDG PET) and evolving therapeutic strategies beyond corticosteroids. It highlights that CMR and 18F-FDG PET enable earlier detection and improved follow-up, while alternative immunosuppressants and biologic agents may improve disease control while reducing long-term toxicity. Clinically, integrating modern imaging with updated immunotherapy could refine diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring in cardiac sarcoidosis.
Tana C, Kouranos V, Bernardinello N et al. · American journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
AI/ML, Reconstruction, Federated Learning & Imaging Workflow Innovation
FedDriftGuard adaptive federated learning with differential privacy for concept drift in edge environments.
This study developed FedDriftGuard, an adaptive federated learning framework with differential privacy (DP) to handle concept drift in non-stationary, asymmetric edge environments. The key contribution is combining drift adaptation with DP and resource efficiency to improve convergence and predictive performance under shifting data distributions. Scientifically, it advances privacy-preserving edge AI training that remains robust when real-world conditions change over time.
Sudhakar K, Jayasree A, Sundaragiri D et al. · Scientific reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Investigating the potential of the isometric handgrip exercise as a test of cardiovascular reactivity to blood pressure fluctuations.
This study investigated whether an isometric handgrip exercise can serve as a preoperative test of cardiovascular reactivity to blood-pressure fluctuations in healthy controls, using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) to assess the heart and ascending aorta. The key finding was that the isometric handgrip paradigm is feasible for probing cardiovascular responses to transient blood-pressure changes in preparation for later clinical testing. This supports development of anesthesia-relevant CMR-based functional testing to identify patients vulnerable to perioperative hemodynamic instability.
Zimmermann AC, Guensch DP, Abegg J et al. · BMC anesthesiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
The Future of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance: Navigating Ultra-High and Low-Field Imaging (Part 2).
This narrative review examined the current and emerging role of ultra-high-field (e.g., 7T) and low-field (e.g., 0.55T) MRI systems for cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. It found that while these field strengths offer specific technical advantages, they also introduce substantial practical limitations that complicate routine clinical implementation. The review highlights where ultra-/low-field CMR could expand future cardiac imaging capabilities and what barriers must be addressed for translation.
Seiberlich N, Schulz-Menger J, Schmitter S et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Artificial Intelligence Applications in Cardiac MR Imaging.
This review summarized how artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied to cardiac MR imaging to address limitations in acquisition time, specialized expertise requirements, and inter-reader variability. The key finding is that AI can improve efficiency and consistency across CMR workflows, supporting broader clinical adoption of CMR. Scientifically, this positions AI as a pathway to more standardized, scalable CMR interpretation and processing.
Gomez GV, Denley C, Christia P · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Climate Change and Globally Sustainable Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.
This review evaluated the environmental impact of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and proposed strategies to make CMR more globally sustainable. It found that CMR is among the more environmentally intensive imaging modalities, but that operational efficiencies, resource conservation, and AI- and systems-level reforms can reduce emissions and improve sustainability. This is significant for aligning cardiac imaging practice with both patient care needs and planetary health goals.
Bodnariuc N, Markl M, Cook T et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Scan Efficiency.
This review studied strategies to improve cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scan efficiency, focusing on accelerated 30-minute CMR protocols that use advanced acquisition/reconstruction and workflow methods, with integration of artificial intelligence for planning, acquisition, reconstruction, and post-processing. It reports that streamlined protocols can increase throughput and patient experience while maintaining diagnostic quality, and that AI can further enhance efficiency without compromising image interpretation. The scientific and clinical significance is broader access to CMR and reduced bottlenecks for high-volume indications such as ventricular ablation and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Stojanovska J, Keerthivasan MB, Platt S et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
The Future of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance: Navigating Ultra-High and Low-Field Imaging (Part 1).
This article reviewed the future of cardiac magnetic resonance by examining ultra-high-field (e.g., 7T) and low-field (e.g., 0.55T) imaging systems compared with conventional 1.5T/3T scanners for cardiac applications. It finds that these nonstandard field strengths may offer unique advantages for specific CMR tasks but introduce substantial technical challenges that complicate routine clinical adoption. The significance is that field-strength innovation could expand CMR capabilities, but translation will require overcoming hardware, sequence, and workflow limitations.
Seiberlich N, Schulz-Menger J, Schmitter S et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging clinics of North America · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Domain-Conditioned and Temporal-Guided Diffusion Modeling for Accelerated Dynamic MRI Reconstruction.
This study developed a domain-conditioned, temporally guided diffusion modeling framework to accelerate dynamic MRI reconstruction in time-resolved imaging data. The method explicitly guides the reverse diffusion process using temporal structure plus spatiotemporal and self-consistent frequency–temporal priors to improve temporal alignment and fine detail recovery. Scientifically, it advances faster dynamic MRI reconstruction by better modeling spatiotemporal dependencies within diffusion-based reconstruction pipelines.
Zhang L, Yuwen Zhou I, Montesi SB et al. · NMR in biomedicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Deformation-Recovery diffusion model (DRDM): Instance deformation for image manipulation and synthesis.
This paper proposes the Deformation-Recovery Diffusion Model (DRDM), a diffusion-based generative model for medical image synthesis and manipulation that learns morphological changes via deformation fields. DRDM uses topology-preserving deformation field generation with multi-scale deformation velocity fields (DVFs) to improve correspondence between generated and real images and reduce anatomically implausible outputs. The approach advances interpretable, anatomically consistent synthetic image generation for medical imaging applications.
Zheng JQ, Mo Y, Sun Y et al. · Medical image analysis · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
An efficient, scalable, and adaptable plug-and-play temporal attention module for motion-guided cardiac segmentation with sparse temporal labels.
This study developed an efficient, scalable, adaptable plug-and-play temporal attention module for motion-guided cardiac segmentation using sparse temporal labels. The method integrates temporal attention to leverage cardiac motion dynamics without the high computational cost of adding time as an input dimension or embedding computationally expensive registration into the segmentation network. This could improve deep-learning cardiac segmentation performance in clinical workflows where only limited temporal annotations are available.
Hasan MK, Yang G, Yap CH · Medical image analysis · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MR function analysis with DL-based super resolution reconstruction: application in the clinical setting.
This retrospective clinical study compared cardiac MR cine acquisition using a standardized SENSE approach versus deep learning-based super-resolution reconstruction using high-resolution compressed sensitivity encoding (C-SENSE) in patients undergoing CMR for ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. The deep learning super-resolution approach improved or preserved volumetry and image quality while reducing acquisition time compared with conventional SENSE. If validated prospectively, this could streamline CMR protocols and improve patient throughput without sacrificing diagnostic image quality.
Adomat F, Schaub C, Hoh T et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MR Fingerprinting at 0.55T Using a Deep Image Prior for Joint T1, T2, and M0 Mapping.
This phantom and in-vivo feasibility study investigated cardiac MR fingerprinting (MRF) at 0.55T using a deep image prior reconstruction to jointly estimate T1, T2, and M0 in an ISMRM/NIST phantom and 18 healthy subjects. The key finding was that deep image prior–based reconstruction can mitigate noise and enable acquisition of quantitative T1/T2 maps at ultra-low field strength. This is significant for expanding access to quantitative cardiac MRI using more widely available 0.55T systems.
Liu Z, Liu Z, Rashid I et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Generated automatically on May 06, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published April 29, 2026 – May 06, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.