What's New in Cardiac MRI? — May 11, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 33 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
May 11, 2026 · 33 articles · 15 research themes · covering May 04, 2026 – May 11, 2026
Overview
Across this week’s set of studies, cardiac MRI continues to emerge as a central “biomarker engine” for risk prediction and mechanistic insight. Multiple cohorts link CMR-derived tissue characterization—especially fibrosis (late gadolinium enhancement, native T1/diffuse fibrosis)—and cardiac adiposity measures (epicardial and pericardial fat) to downstream clinical outcomes such as heart failure, arrhythmias, and cardiometabolic disease. In parallel, CMR is being used to connect systemic risk phenotypes (insulin resistance via eGDR, phenotypic age acceleration, and obesity-related remodeling) to measurable cardiac structural/functional changes, reinforcing the idea that biological risk can be visualized and quantified noninvasively.
A second dominant theme is the expansion of CMR into specialized disease trajectories and phenotypes. Longitudinal and comparative imaging studies address natural history and surveillance needs in genetic/inherited cardiomyopathies (e.g., Duchenne muscular dystrophy carriers), recurrent myocarditis, and right-heart recovery after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy versus balloon pulmonary angioplasty. Imaging is also increasingly used to refine diagnosis and stratification in conditions where phenotype varies—such as atypical transthyretin amyloid patterns, mitral valve prolapse biomarker combinations, and repaired tetralogy of Fallot where both ECG and advanced mapping (including diffuse fibrosis) may help anticipate maladaptation and future risk.
Finally, the digest highlights both translational innovation and broader context. Several papers focus on making advanced CMR more accessible or actionable—contrast-free/virtual LGE generation (Cine2LGE, SSDiff) and multimodality approaches that fuse imaging for procedural planning. Case reports underscore the value of multimodality imaging for rare or atypical presentations (e.g., ALCAPA, cardiac hydatid disease, intracardiac metastases, Takotsubo conduction complications). Outside cardiology, a qualitative study from rural Kenya shows how climate-related shocks worsen vulnerabilities that affect HIV health and care, emphasizing that effective health interventions must integrate social and resilience supports.
Cardiac MRI biomarkers of fibrosis, remodeling, and adiposity
A study on the correlation between cardiac magnetic resonance characteristics and myocardial fibrosis in overweight and obese individuals.
This study used cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to compare cardiac structure, function, myocardial strain, and epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) across 192 adults classified by BMI as normal weight (n=77), overweight (n=37), and obesity (n=78), and related these CMR measures to myocardial fibrosis assessed by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) positivity. Overweight and obesity groups showed worse CMR functional/strain characteristics and higher EATV, and the CMR parameters were associated with the presence of LGE-defined myocardial fibrosis. These findings support CMR biomarkers (including EATV and strain) as noninvasive indicators of subclinical myocardial fibrosis risk in people with excess body weight.
Liu L, Yao Y, Yu H et al. · BMC medical imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Association of pericardial fat volume with risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus or major adverse cardiovascular events: Evidence from UK Biobank cohort study.
Using UK Biobank data (n=39,125), this cohort study measured pericardial fat volume via cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (mean estimate pericardial fat area, MEPFA) and tested associations with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) using multivariable Cox models and Kaplan–Meier analyses. Higher pericardial fat volume was associated with greater risk of developing T2DM and experiencing MACE during a median follow-up of 55 months. These findings suggest that CMR-derived pericardial adiposity may serve as a clinically useful imaging biomarker for cardiometabolic risk.
Hu F, Wang J, Zeng X et al. · Nutrition & metabolism · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI in cardiomyopathies (genetic, inherited, and dystrophin-related)
Longitudinal changes in cardiac function, volumes and fibrosis in a prospective cohort of female Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy carriers.
This prospective longitudinal cohort study used cardiac MRI with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) to characterize changes in ventricular volumes, function, and myocardial fibrosis over time in 75 genetically confirmed female Duchenne muscular dystrophy carriers (MDC) and 22 non-carrier females. Over repeated annual CMR visits, MDC showed progressive or measurable changes in cardiac function/volumes and fibrosis burden compared with non-carriers. The findings improve understanding of the natural history of cardiomyopathy risk in female dystrophin mutation carriers and support CMR surveillance strategies in this population.
Ledingham L, Conroy S, Kanwar K et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Mavacamten in Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and C282Y Homozygous Hereditary Hemochromatosis: A First-in-Human Report.
This first-in-human case report describes a 67-year-old woman with homozygous C282Y hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) who also had obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) features on stress echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance. Treatment with the cardiac myosin inhibitor mavacamten (after beta-blocker intolerance) markedly reduced the left ventricular outflow tract gradient. The report suggests mavacamten may be a therapeutic option when obstructive HCM physiology coexists with HH, warranting further study in this rare overlap.
Sam R, Ananthaneni A, Planek MI et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI in myocarditis and inflammatory heart disease
Insights Into the Natural History of Recurrent Myocarditis, A Multicenter International Study (Re-Myo Study).
This multicenter international study followed 141 adults with recurrent acute myocarditis (Re-AM) confirmed by endomyocardial biopsy or cardiac magnetic resonance and compared them with 372 patients with a single acute myocarditis episode (S-AM). Re-AM patients had worse clinical outcomes, with the study’s primary composite endpoint (all-cause mortality, heart transplant, and major ventricular arrhythmias) occurring more frequently than in S-AM. These findings clarify the natural history of recurrent myocarditis and support closer risk monitoring and outcome-focused management in patients with Re-AM.
Baggio C, Cannata A, Gasperetti A et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI in amyloidosis (ATTR and TTR-targeted therapy)
Rationale and Design of CARDIO-TTRansform, a Phase 3 Trial of Eplontersen in Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy.
CARDIO-TTRansform is a Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating eplontersen, an N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated antisense oligonucleotide targeting hepatocyte TTR mRNA, in patients with transthyretin (TTR) amyloid cardiomyopathy. The trial is designed to test whether eplontersen reduces disease burden and improves clinical outcomes while assessing safety in this progressive cardiomyopathy population. If effective, this gene-silencing approach to lower circulating TTR could become a disease-modifying therapy for TTR amyloidosis with cardiac involvement.
Masri A, Cappelli F, Davis MK et al. · Circulation. Heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
When amyloid chooses sides: septal affection pattern as an atypical presentation of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy.
This imaging-focused report described an atypical transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) presentation characterized by a septal affection pattern rather than the classic symmetric basal/midventricular involvement with apical sparing. The authors emphasized that early diagnosis is critical because disease-specific therapy may improve prognosis, and they used multimodality imaging to characterize the unusual distribution of amyloid involvement. Scientifically, the case broadens the recognized imaging phenotypes of ATTR-CM and helps clinicians avoid misclassification when the typical “apical sparing” pattern is absent.
Maurer LA, Studer Bruengger AA, Wiedemann Buser MS et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI in congenital heart disease and pediatric cardiology
Fetal MRI for cardiopulmonary anomalies: what the pediatric cardiologist and surgeon need to know.
This narrative review summarized current evidence on fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as an adjunct to expert fetal echocardiography for prenatal evaluation of complex cardiopulmonary anomalies. It emphasized that fetal CMR can provide high-resolution, multiplanar assessment and improved soft-tissue contrast when echocardiography is limited, thereby informing counseling, delivery planning, and postnatal management. The review’s significance is to guide pediatric cardiologists and surgeons on when fetal CMR adds diagnostic or prognostic value.
Dadoun SE, Mokha S, Kooraki S et al. · Current opinion in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
ECG Changes in Tetralogy of Fallot: Association with Right Ventricular Function, Early Age of Repair and Prematurity.
This retrospective study evaluated whether electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in 219 patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) correlate with right ventricular (RV) function measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), and whether ECG changes are more prevalent in less mature myocardium defined by prematurity or early repair. ECG parameters including PQ interval, QRS duration/dispersion, fragmentation, QTc/JTc, and right bundle branch block (RBBB) were analyzed at predefined time points and were assessed for association with CMR-derived RV functional measures. The results are clinically relevant because ECG markers could help risk-stratify TOF patients and identify those with maladaptation related to RV dysfunction, particularly after early-life repair or in premature infants.
Bhat M, Malm T, Nordenstam F et al. · Pediatric cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Detecting early structural and functional myocardial alterations in patients with repaired tetralogy of fallot: a prospective MRI study.
This prospective CMR study assessed diffuse myocardial fibrosis and its relationship to regional mechanical dysfunction in 17 consecutive patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF), using native T1 (nT1) mapping as a marker of diffuse fibrosis and tissue phase mapping (TPM) to quantify biventricular segmental systolic/diastolic myocardial velocities. Patients with rTOF showed altered myocardial mechanics (e.g., reduced peak velocities) alongside CMR evidence of diffuse fibrosis. These data are significant because they connect diffuse fibrosis to functional mechanical impairment in rTOF, offering potential imaging biomarkers for future arrhythmia and heart failure risk stratification.
Kappler HE, Kocher N, Berg S et al. · Scientific reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 3D echocardiography–CT/CMR fusion improves the perceived clinical utility of valve-integrated 3D printed heart models compared with conventional single-modality 3D models in complex congenital heart disease (CHD). The study focused on incremental benefit for pediatric cardiac surgeons versus imaging cardiologists, assessing how multimodality fusion that includes atrioventricular valve structures affects anatomical understanding and preoperative planning. The results are significant for surgical workflow optimization, suggesting that valve-integrated multimodality fusion may enhance model fidelity and decision-making in complex CHD.
Villalobos-Lizardi JC, Yoo SJ, Peel B et al. · 3D printing in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Right Ventricular Apical Hypoplasia With a Novel Morphologic Presentation: The “Christmas Hat” Sign.
This case report studied a 9-year-old boy with congenital right ventricular (RV) apical hypoplasia using multimodal cardiac imaging including cardiac magnetic resonance. The key finding was a novel RV morphology in which the left ventricular apex elongated and projected rightward, producing a distinctive “Christmas hat” configuration. Clinically, recognizing this compensatory “Christmas hat” sign can improve diagnostic characterization of rare RV apical hypoplasia and guide appropriate congenital heart disease evaluation.
Meléndez-Ramírez G, Patrón-Chi SA, Figueroa-Galván FS et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI in pulmonary hypertension and right-heart disease
Right Ventricular Adaptation after Pulmonary Endarterectomy and Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: A comparative Cardiac MRI-Based Study.
This prospective multicenter cohort study compared right ventricular (RV) hemodynamic, functional, and structural responses to pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) versus balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in 93 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) from the Netherlands and Denmark using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), right heart catheterization, exercise testing, and biomarkers. Both interventions were associated with RV reverse remodeling, with CMR-based measures used to quantify differences in adaptation between PEA and BPA. These findings support CMR-guided assessment of RV recovery after CTEPH revascularization and may help refine selection and monitoring of patients undergoing PEA versus BPA.
Rodenburg TC, Higuchi S, Andersen S et al. · The European respiratory journal · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI in valvular heart disease and mitral valve prolapse risk
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Prediction of Arrhythmic Events in Mitral Valve Prolapse: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated prognostic associations between cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) biomarkers—late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), mitral annular disjunction (MAD), and systolic curling—in 1,994 patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) across 15 included studies. All three biomarkers were significantly associated with increased risk of arrhythmic events, with pooled relative risks of 1.8 for LGE, 1.5 for MAD, and 1.8 for systolic curling. Clinically, these results strengthen the role of CMR risk stratification in MVP and help identify patients who may benefit from closer monitoring or preventive strategies.
Papanastasiou CA, Kampaktsis PN, Papalamprakopoulou Z et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI in coronary artery disease, plaque phenotype, and reperfusion
Association between coronary high-intensity plaque and pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation and plaque morphology.
In patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), this retrospective study assessed whether high-intensity plaque (HIP) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) relates to pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation (PCATA) and coronary plaque morphology on computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Across 86 patients (104 coronary lesions), HIP defined by a plaque-to-myocardium signal intensity ratio (PMR) ≥1.4 on T1-weighted CMR was associated with differences in PCATA and plaque characteristics on CCTA. These results suggest that CMR-defined plaque signal intensity may reflect local perivascular adipose tissue changes and plaque phenotype relevant to coronary risk.
Ishii Y, Watabe H, Kyohei U et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Intracoronary ECG May Reveal Dynamic Changes in Tissue-Level Reperfusion During Primary PCI.
This JACC Case Reports study examined 15 patients with anterior myocardial infarction undergoing primary PCI to determine whether intracoronary ECG (IC-ECG) can detect dynamic, tissue-level reperfusion changes during the procedure. Sequential IC-ECG recordings showed time-varying ST-segment behavior that corresponded to differences in infarct characteristics assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance. The approach could improve real-time assessment of microvascular reperfusion during PCI beyond standard surface ECG.
Aslanger EK, Akaslan D, Uysaler E et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI contrast-free / virtual LGE and imaging innovation
Generation of contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI from contrast-free scans: a multi-center, multi-manufacturer study.
This multicenter, multi-manufacturer study developed and validated Cine2LGE, a contrast-free method that generates late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)-like cardiac MRI images and estimates enhancement probability from cine MRI. The model was trained and evaluated on a multi-center, multi-manufacturer, multi-disease dataset and externally tested on an independent dataset, aiming to reproduce LGE image quality without gadolinium. Clinically, this could expand myocardial tissue characterization to patients who cannot receive gadolinium-based contrast (e.g., renal impairment or contrast allergy) while preserving the diagnostic utility of LGE.
Xie P, Zhang Z, Chen J et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
SSDiff: A Contrast-Free Virtual LGE Generator for Acute Myocardial Infarction with Joint Segmentation via Diffusion Model.
This study developed and evaluated SSDiff, a contrast-free virtual late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) generator using a multitask conditional diffusion model with joint segmentation for acute myocardial infarction using routine cine and T2-STIR inputs. The key finding was that SSDiff synthesizes virtual LGE that incorporates T2-STIR–sensitive edema information and reduces the need for manual infarct delineation compared with prior approaches that often rely on cine/T1 mapping and omit T2-STIR. Scientifically and clinically, contrast-free virtual LGE could streamline acute MI viability assessment by avoiding gadolinium contrast and simplifying post-processing workflows.
Qi J, Yue X, Hu M et al. · IEEE journal of biomedical and health informatics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Electrophysiology, arrhythmia risk, and ECG–imaging integration
Polygenic Risk Identifies Older Adults Who May Benefit From Aspirin for the Primary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke.
This post hoc analysis of the ASPREE randomized trial evaluated whether an integrative polygenic score (iPGS) derived from >1.2 million variants could identify older adults of European ancestry (>70 years, n=12,031) who would benefit from daily 100 mg aspirin for primary prevention of ischemic stroke. The study found that iPGS stratification could distinguish a subgroup with net benefit from aspirin despite overall concerns about bleeding risk in older populations. This supports precision-medicine approaches using polygenic risk to refine aspirin use for ischemic stroke prevention.
Yu C, Hussain SM, Fransquet PD et al. · Stroke · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
RYR1 Pathogenic Variant in a Patient With Overlapping Features of Brugada Syndrome and Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy.
This case report evaluated a 32-year-old man with overlapping Brugada syndrome (BrS) and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) features in whom a pathogenic RYR1 variant was identified. Ajmaline testing unmasked a diagnostic type 1 BrS pattern, while cardiac magnetic resonance showed subtle right ventricular dyskinesia and focal left ventricular fibrosis meeting borderline ACM criteria. The findings propose RYR1-related mechanisms as a potential shared genetic substrate for combined BrS/ACM phenotypes and support comprehensive genetic and imaging evaluation in arrhythmia overlap syndromes.
Saplaouras A, Koskina S, Mililis P et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Diagnostic Evolution From Channelopathy to Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation After Aborted Sudden Cardiac Death.
This case report describes a 23-year-old woman whose evaluation evolved from suspected channelopathy (initially diagnosed as long QT syndrome) to a diagnosis of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) after aborted sudden cardiac death. Despite a negative cardiac magnetic resonance evaluation and a negative 51-gene arrhythmia panel, monitoring with an implantable loop recorder captured the spontaneous ventricular fibrillation episode. The report underscores the importance of longitudinal rhythm documentation and broad diagnostic workup when initial channelopathy hypotheses do not explain IVF.
Butt F, Chokshi P, Badua PM et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Clinical and Imaging Abnormalities Associated With Inducible Ventricular Arrhythmias During Electrophysiologic Study in Patients With Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Mildly Impaired Left Ventricular Function.
This retrospective cohort study assessed clinical and imaging correlates of inducible ventricular arrhythmias during electrophysiologic study (EPS) in adults with cardiac sarcoidosis and mildly impaired left ventricular function. The investigators evaluated whether EPS could serve as a noninvasive risk stratification tool, relating inducibility to cardiac sarcoidosis severity and late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance. The work aims to refine sudden cardiac death risk assessment and guide implantable cardioverter-defibrillator decisions in this higher-risk but less clearly stratified CS subgroup.
Treacy T, Pereira R, Tandon P et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Case reports: rare cardiac diagnoses and multimodality imaging
Beyond the usual suspects: unmasking ALCAPA in pediatric cardiomyopathy - case report.
This case report described a 9-year-old boy with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and poorly controlled asthma in whom anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) was ultimately unmasked after atypical presentation. The key finding was that the patient’s cardiomyopathy and severe mitral regurgitation reflected an underlying congenital coronary anomaly rather than a primary asthma-related or nonspecific cardiomyopathy cause. The report highlights the need to consider ALCAPA in pediatric cardiomyopathy when presentations are atypical, to avoid delayed diagnosis and irreversible myocardial injury.
Pedraza C A, Suárez F MV, Ballén-Pinilla D et al. · BMC pediatrics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Isolated Cardiac Hydatid Disease Presenting as Ventricular Remodeling and Tamponade.
This JACC Case Reports report described a 16-year-old woman with isolated cardiac hydatid (Echinococcus) disease presenting with pericardial hydatid cyst–associated ventricular remodeling and cardiac tamponade. Multimodality imaging showed an intact pericardial hydatid cyst with adjacent myocardial thinning, concentric hypertrophy of uninvolved left ventricular segments, active pericarditis, and pericardial effusion causing tamponade physiology. The case highlights an exceptional but important diagnostic consideration for tamponade with myocardial remodeling, emphasizing the role of multimodality imaging in guiding urgent management.
Yousuf Q, Rashid A, Choh NA et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Ventricular Tachycardia Due to Intracardiac Metastases: Multimodality Imaging and Management Considerations.
This case report describes a 57-year-old man with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma who developed malignant monomorphic ventricular tachycardia due to intracardiac metastases. Multimodality imaging identified tumor-related substrate: contrast-enhanced perfusion echocardiography showed heterogeneous early hyperenhancement consistent with tumor neovascularization, supporting the diagnosis and informing management considerations. The report emphasizes that multimodality imaging can enable earlier recognition of intracardiac metastases presenting as ventricular arrhythmias.
Chan TH, Leung HL, Cheng CN et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Sinus Node Dysfunction in Takotsubo Syndrome: An Uncommon Presentation.
This case report describes a 68-year-old patient with Takotsubo syndrome who developed an uncommon complication: persistent sinus node dysfunction (SND). Cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed stress cardiomyopathy after coronary angiography excluded obstructive coronary disease, but SND emerged during hospitalization and persisted even after complete recovery of left ventricular systolic function. The case highlights that conduction system abnormalities in Takotsubo can outlast myocardial recovery and may necessitate permanent pacing.
Zakynthinos GE, Kalogeras K, Vlachojannis GJ et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Perioperative and procedural management guided by imaging
Perioperative Continuation of Interleukin-1 Blockade in Chronic Constrictive Pericarditis: Imaging-Guided Surgical Decision.
This JACC Case Reports report describes perioperative management in a 42-year-old man with chronic constrictive pericarditis evolving from incessant inflammatory pericarditis treated with anakinra, prednisone, and colchicine. Imaging (echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance) showed constrictive physiology and pericardial late gadolinium enhancement without active edema, guiding surgical decision-making around continued IL-1 blockade. The case highlights how IL-1 inhibition may be integrated with pericardiectomy planning in fixed constriction, despite limited prior evidence.
Issa R, Ikram J, Nouman A et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiometabolic risk, insulin resistance, and biological aging
The influence of accelerated aging-related cardiac remodeling on cardiovascular outcomes: an observational study.
This observational study in 31,722 UK Biobank participants examined whether phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel) predicts cardiovascular disease outcomes and mortality and whether these associations are mediated by cardiac remodeling and cardiometabolic disease, using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to characterize structure and function. PhenoAgeAccel was associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and mortality, with CMR measures of cardiac remodeling contributing to the mechanistic pathway. The findings support accelerated biological aging as a measurable risk phenotype that can be linked to CMR-detectable cardiac remodeling, potentially improving risk prediction beyond chronological age.
Lv Z, Li K, Liu C et al. · The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Absolute and Workload-indexed Exercise Blood Pressure responses: Associations with cardiac output, vascular resistance and cardiorespiratory fitness in females.
This study used cardiopulmonary exercise testing in 135 adult females (mean age 51±8 years) to determine how absolute and workload-indexed systolic blood pressure (SBP) responses relate to cardiac output, vascular resistance, and cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O2peak). SBP responses were stratified by SBPmax (≥190 vs <190 mmHg) and by workload-indexed SBP (SBP/W-slope), and these pressure-flow patterns were evaluated for association with V̇O2peak. The findings are important because they suggest SBP response phenotypes during exercise may reflect vascular resistance and hemodynamic efficiency, offering a noninvasive way to characterize fitness and cardiometabolic risk.
Janssens K, Howden EJ, Mitchell AM et al. · American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Glucose Disposal Rate: A Novel Measure of Insulin Resistance Associated With Myocardial Fibrosis and Incident Heart Failure.
This analysis of 6,025 MESA participants free of heart failure at exam 2 (2002–2004) tested whether the estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), a surrogate of insulin resistance, is associated with myocardial fibrosis and incident heart failure using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Lower eGDR (higher insulin resistance) was associated with greater myocardial fibrosis and a higher risk of developing heart failure during follow-up. The study is clinically important because it links a metabolic risk measure (eGDR) to CMR-detected myocardial remodeling, supporting insulin resistance as a modifiable driver of HF pathogenesis.
Bukhari S, Kwapong YA, Yanek LR et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Survival of patients with complete metabolic response on [18F]FDG PET/CT after chemotherapy prior to transplantation for colorectal liver metastases.
This retrospective analysis studied 45 patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) undergoing liver transplantation after chemotherapy, stratifying outcomes by pre-transplant [18F]FDG PET/CT metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and focusing on those with complete metabolic response (CMR; MTV=0). The key finding was that patients with CMR on pre-transplant [18F]FDG PET/CT had survival outcomes (disease-free survival, overall survival, and post-relapse survival) that were compared against groups with low or high MTV. Clinically, using pre-transplant [18F]FDG PET/CT CMR as an MTV=0 biomarker may help risk-stratify CRLM patients for expected post-transplant prognosis.
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 ↗ · Free PDF ↗
GLP-1 and cardiometabolic pharmacology (preclinical)
Semaglutide Reverses Ectopic Lipid Accumulation, Impaired Myocardial Perfusion Reserve, and Diastolic Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Cardiometabolic Heart Disease.
This preclinical study tested semaglutide in a mouse model of cardiometabolic heart disease by treating high-fat, high-sucrose diet–fed obese mice and comparing them with pair-fed controls. Using multiparametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance, semaglutide reduced epicardial adipose tissue inflammation, decreased ectopic myocardial lipid accumulation, improved adenosine myocardial perfusion reserve, and improved diastolic function, with histology assessing myocardial fibrosis. These results support a mechanistic link between GLP-1 receptor agonism and improved myocardial perfusion and function via reversal of ectopic lipid and inflammatory remodeling.
Skacel TP, Saleh NR, Pavelec CM et al. · JACC. Basic to translational science · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Climate and social determinants of health in HIV care
Pathways between climate change and HIV health in rural Kenya: a qualitative analysis.
This qualitative study explored pathways linking climate change to HIV health in rural Kenya by conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 40 people living with HIV (PLHIV) enrolled in a cluster randomized clinical trial across 8 pairs of health facilities in Western Kenya. Participants described how extreme weather and climate-related severe events worsened vulnerabilities such as food insecurity and access to resources, which in turn affected HIV-related health and care. The findings provide actionable context for integrating climate resilience and social support into HIV programs in high-burden rural settings.
Nicastro TM, Odhiambo G, Jawuoro S et al. · Scientific reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Generated automatically on May 11, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published May 04, 2026 – May 11, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.