What's New in Cardiac MRI? — May 21, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 54 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
May 21, 2026 · 54 articles · 15 research themes · covering May 14, 2026 – May 21, 2026
Overview
Across this week’s set of studies and reviews, a dominant theme is the move toward earlier and more precise cardiac risk detection using multimodality imaging—especially cardiac MRI (CMR)—and increasingly sophisticated computational approaches. Several papers focus on uncovering “subclinical” disease: genotype-positive/phenotype-negative relatives where CPET reveals hidden cardiomyopathy, asymptomatic heart failure where strain-based CMR may outperform LVEF, and young adults where aortic regurgitation and cardiometabolic phenotypes are often under-recognized. Methodologically, multiple contributions improve how CMR is acquired and interpreted (e.g., stress perfusion ROI localization, diffusion tensor imaging acceleration, trabeculation quantification reliability, and composable/AI-driven prediction frameworks), aiming to make advanced tissue and functional phenotyping scalable in real-world settings.
A second major thread is inflammatory/infiltrative and immune-mediated cardiac disease, including recurrent myocarditis, immune checkpoint inhibitor–related myocarditis, and inflammatory cardiomyopathy frameworks. Reviews and meta-analyses emphasize multimodal diagnostic strategies (CMR tissue findings, PET/scintigraphy, biomarkers, and clinical context) to reduce diagnostic delay and improve prognostic accuracy. Complementing this, several studies link systemic drivers to cardiac outcomes—insulin resistance and obesity phenotypes to myocardial fibrosis/heart failure risk, and hematologic traits to cardiac/aortic remodeling endophenotypes via Mendelian randomization.
Finally, the digest highlights clinically actionable “cause-finding” in complex presentations: arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy risk in malignant mitral valve prolapse even without severe MR or CMR fibrosis, arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy in patients treated with wearable defibrillators, and drug/cancer-therapy cardiotoxicity (fluoropyrimidine vasospasm/pericardial involvement; anthracycline + quizartinib myopericarditis). Together, these works reinforce a precision medicine direction—pairing mechanistic insight with imaging- and biomarker-guided triage to detect, stratify, and manage cardiac disease earlier and more accurately.
Cardiomyopathy screening and genetic risk stratification
Natural history of cardiac involvement in women carrying pathogenic DMD gene variants: a 7-year longitudinal study.
In a 7-year prospective longitudinal cohort, 34 women carrying pathogenic dystrophin (DMD) gene variants (19 predicted Duchenne, 15 Becker) were followed with cardiac magnetic resonance (including late gadolinium enhancement for fibrosis) and assessments of ventricular function and arrhythmias. The study found a natural history of progressive cardiac involvement in female DMD variant carriers, characterized by evolving ventricular dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, and conduction/arrhythmic abnormalities over time. Clinically, these data support long-term cardiac surveillance in women with pathogenic DMD variants and help define expected disease trajectories for risk stratification and treatment monitoring.
Lyu Z, Joensen H, Poulsen NS et al. · Journal of neurology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI in cardiac dystrophinopathy: recommendations on imaging.
This article provides expert recommendations on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging for cardiac dystrophinopathy, focusing on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) where progressive heart pumping weakness occurs and symptoms appear late. The key recommendation was that CMR should be used to detect myocardial tissue changes and functional measures earlier and more accurately than echocardiography across disease progression, despite lower availability and higher cost. This is significant because standardized CMR imaging can improve timing and sensitivity of cardiac monitoring and evaluation of response to heart-directed therapies in DMD.
McDiarmid A, Augustine D, Coats C et al. · Open heart · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Epidemiology of non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
This narrative review summarized the epidemiology of non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), focusing on left ventricular dilatation and systolic dysfunction and emphasizing that non-ischaemic DCM is more common than previously thought. It reports an estimated prevalence around 1 in 220 based largely on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) studies, with higher prevalence in men and potentially greater burden when early/subclinical disease is included. Scientifically, the review underscores the role of advanced imaging and evolving genetic technologies in refining prevalence estimates and understanding the genetic basis of non-ischaemic DCM.
Ramos-López N, Domínguez F, Ochoa JP et al. · Nature reviews. Cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Blood cell traits on cardiovascular morpho-functional phenotypes: evidence from Mendelian randomization analysis.
This 2-sample Mendelian randomization study assessed causal genetic relationships between 15 blood cell traits and 100 cardiovascular MRI phenotypes of cardiac and aortic structure/function, using independent genetic variants as instrumental variables for 7 red blood cell traits, 6 white blood cell traits, and 2 platelet traits. The key finding was evidence of causal effects of specific blood cell traits on cardiovascular MRI endophenotypes derived from multiple genome-wide association studies. This is significant because it links hematologic biology to cardiac/aortic remodeling in a way that can guide biomarker development and mechanistic hypotheses.
Li M, Zhu H, Shen L et al. · Medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Unmasking subclinical cardiomyopathy: The role of cardiopulmonary exercise testing when screening genotype-positive phenotype negative relatives.
This single-centre case series studied cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) as an added screening tool in genotype-positive, phenotype-negative (G+P−) relatives from families undergoing cascade testing for likely/definite pathogenic cardiomyopathy variants. Among relatives with otherwise unremarkable conventional screening (ECG, echocardiography, Holter monitoring, and cardiac MRI), CPET helped unmask subclinical cardiomyopathy that was not detected by standard morpho-functional assessments. The findings support incorporating CPET into cascade screening pathways to improve early detection of at-risk individuals before overt cardiomyopathy develops.
Abela M, Scicluna J, Debattista J et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI/CMR tissue characterization of fibrosis and remodeling
Distribution of diffuse myocardial fibrosis is uneven and associated with left ventricular function in severe aortic stenosis.
This study evaluated 43 patients with severe aortic stenosis using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and transthoracic echocardiography within 1 week of surgery, aiming to characterize diffuse myocardial fibrosis (DMF) distribution and link CMR tissue characteristics to left ventricular (LV) function, with myocardial biopsy used to inform DMF distribution. The key finding was that DMF distribution was uneven across the myocardium and that the pattern/extent of DMF was associated with worse LV function. Scientifically and clinically, the work supports CMR approaches for quantifying diffuse fibrosis in severe aortic stenosis and suggests that DMF heterogeneity may be a marker of functional impairment and potentially reversible remodeling.
Holmberg E, Engvall J, Nylander E et al. · Open heart · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Comparison of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Disease Classification by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance and Echocardiography.
This retrospective study compared left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) versus transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in 1213 patients who underwent both within 1 week, and assessed determinants of discordance in clinical classification using European Society of Cardiology heart failure thresholds (50% and 35%). The key finding was that LVEF values and resulting classification could differ between CMR and TTE, with specific imaging characteristics associated with discordance. This is clinically significant because it informs how to interpret and reconcile LVEF-based treatment decisions when different imaging modalities yield different results.
Le Y, An J, Liang L et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Interstitial Myocardial Fibrosis Analysis by Histology and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Severe Aortic Valve Disease.
This study compared interstitial myocardial fibrosis quantified by collagen volume fraction (CVF) from myocardial biopsy with cardiac MRI measures—late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and extracellular volume (ECV) from native and post-contrast T1 mapping—in 108 patients with severe aortic valve disease undergoing aortic valve replacement. The key finding was the relationship between biopsy-derived CVF and MRI-derived fibrosis surrogates, with ECV and/or LGE showing correlation patterns consistent with interstitial fibrosis assessment (details truncated in the abstract). Scientifically and clinically, it supports using CMR (particularly ECV-based approaches) to better estimate interstitial fibrosis beyond LGE alone in severe aortic stenosis/valve disease.
Bello JHSM, Demarchi LMMF, Fonseca RA et al. · Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Design and Rationale of the WE-CARE-HF-CMR Trial: Cardiorenal Care on Wheels for Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients (NCT07185100).
This paper presents the design and rationale for the WE-CARE-HF-CMR trial (NCT07185100), which will use mobile cardiac MRI to detect subclinical myocardial dysfunction in asymptomatic heart failure patients where left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is less sensitive and global longitudinal strain (GLS) is more informative. The key finding (as a rationale) is that prior HERZCHECK data in rural Germany found 23% of participants with GLS-defined subclinical pre–heart failure (stage B HF), motivating assessment of prevalence and detection performance in an urban setting. Clinically, the trial aims to improve early identification of asymptomatic HF using CMR-based strain measures to enable earlier intervention.
Li JJ, Thiede G, Götze C et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Role of dyssynchrony in short-term left ventricular systolic function after iron repletion in patients with heart failure.
This subanalysis of the Myocardial-IRON trial studied whether intravenous iron repletion with ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) affects short-term left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony in patients with heart failure (LVEF <50%) and iron deficiency. It used the longitudinal systolic dyssynchrony index (L-SDI) derived from cardiac MRI feature tracking (CMR-FT) to quantify mechanical dyssynchrony and explored its relationship to the clinical response to iron (quantitative results were truncated). The clinical significance is clarifying a potential mechanism—improved mechanical synchrony—by which iron repletion may benefit HF patients.
Del Canto I, Miñana G, Cardells I et al. · Communications medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Inflammatory and infiltrative cardiomyopathies (myocarditis/sarcoidosis/amyloid/immune-mediated)
Relationship between hemodynamic forces based on CMR and major adverse cardiac events in cancer patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors.
This prospective multicenter study enrolled cancer patients with normal baseline cardiac function who were starting anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) about 12 weeks after treatment initiation to relate hemodynamic forces (HDFs) derived from CMR parameters to major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The key finding was that CMR-derived HDF measures were associated with subsequent MACE risk during immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. These results suggest that CMR-based hemodynamic phenotyping could help identify cancer patients at higher risk for ICI-related cardiac complications earlier than conventional assessment.
Gao D, Wang Y, Shi Y et al. · BMC medical imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Multimodality Imaging in Inflammatory Cardiac Disease.
This narrative review summarized how multimodality imaging is used in inflammatory cardiac diseases—including myocarditis, cardiac sarcoidosis, infective endocarditis, and pericarditis—highlighting the roles of echocardiography, cardiac MRI, CT, and FDG-PET/CT. The key takeaway was that cardiac MRI provides gold-standard tissue characterization for myocarditis and cardiac sarcoidosis/pericardial inflammation, while echocardiography remains first-line for many structural and effusion-related presentations and CT/PET/CT add complementary anatomic and inflammatory information. The significance is that clinicians can select the most appropriate imaging modality based on disease mechanism and diagnostic question to improve accuracy and management.
Mahmood A, Ramesh J, Patel DS et al. · Cardiology in review · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Elevated sST2 associates with cardiac involvement and declines after treatment in newly diagnosed patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.
In newly diagnosed idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients, this study measured serum soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) longitudinally over 2 years and compared levels between 34 newly diagnosed IIM patients with cardiac involvement (CI), 109 established IIM patients, age- and gender-matched healthy controls, and rheumatoid arthritis controls. The key finding was that elevated sST2 was associated with cardiac involvement at baseline and declined after treatment over time. Scientifically and clinically, sST2 may serve as a noninvasive biomarker to track cardiac inflammation/remodeling activity and treatment response in IIM.
Hanna B, Lundberg IE, Ekwall AH et al. · Arthritis research & therapy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Insights Into the Natural History of Recurrent Myocarditis, A Multicenter International Study (Re-Myo Study).
This multicenter international study investigated the natural history and outcomes of recurrent acute myocarditis (Re-AM) compared with single acute myocarditis (S-AM). It enrolled 141 patients with biopsy- or cardiac magnetic resonance-proven recurrent acute myocarditis (median LVEF 55%, ages 35 [26–45] years, 77% male) and compared them with 372 patients with single acute myocarditis, using a composite primary outcome including all-cause mortality, heart transplant, and major ventricular arrhythmias. The clinical significance is that it characterizes prognosis in recurrent myocarditis, which can guide risk stratification and management strategies for patients after recurrence.
Baggio C, Cannata A, Gasperetti A et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Multimodal Artificial Intelligence for Early Detection and Precision Management of Inflammatory and Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies.
This article reviews and proposes a multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) approach for early detection and precision management of inflammatory and infiltrative cardiomyopathies, including cardiac sarcoidosis, transthyretin amyloidosis, and autoimmune myocarditis. By integrating ECG, echocardiography, CMR, PET/scintigraphy, biomarkers, and electronic health record (EHR) features, the AI framework aims to improve diagnostic suspicion, tissue-based phenotyping, and risk-directed triage before advanced myocardial dysfunction occurs. Clinically, this could reduce diagnostic delay and standardize complex multimodality interpretation for these often-underrecognized diseases.
Adrejiya P, Alkhatib DA, Aljaroudi W · Current problems in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Diagnostic and prognostic parameters for immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis: A meta-analysis.
This meta-analysis studied diagnostic and prognostic parameters for immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis (ICI-M) across 29 trials including 3568 patients. It found that abnormal cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was present in 63.4%, with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in 65.3% (OR 5.32, 95% CI 1.61–17.50), supporting CMR as a frequently abnormal diagnostic modality (other results were truncated). The significance is improved evidence-based selection of imaging/lab criteria to diagnose ICI-M and to better estimate prognosis in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Lerchner T, Buehning F, Vogel J et al. · European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Inflammatory cardiomyopathy: Position paper of the Italian Society of Cardiology Working Group on cardiomyopathies and pericardial diseases in collaboration with the Italian Society of Cardiology Working Group on cardiac magnetic resonance.
This position paper studied inflammatory cardiomyopathy (iCMP) within the myocarditis spectrum, focusing on chronic hypokinetic disease characterized by persistent myocardial inflammation and systolic dysfunction. It concluded that iCMP often evolves from prior acute/subacute myocarditis, has heterogeneous causes (infectious, autoimmune, idiopathic) with possible genetic susceptibility in a “two-hit” model, and requires a multimodal diagnostic approach. Scientifically and clinically, it provides a structured framework to recognize iCMP and distinguish it from other cardiomyopathy/pericardial conditions to improve outcomes.
Imazio M, Jahnsen V, Merlo M et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Arrhythmia-related cardiomyopathy and sudden death risk
High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Diagnostic Insights and Future Directions.
This narrative review synthesized observational cohort, mechanistic, and longitudinal evidence on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The key finding is that hs-cTn reflects myocardial stress in nonischemic cardiomyopathies and, in HCM, shows characteristic patterns of elevation that associate with imaging findings and clinical outcomes (with reported elevations in roughly one-quarter to one-half of patients across cohorts). The significance is that hs-cTn may improve risk stratification and monitoring in HCM despite phenotypic heterogeneity and ongoing diagnostic challenges.
Hassan A, Mizori R, Malik A et al. · Cardiology in review · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Prevalence and Recovery of Arrhythmia-Induced Cardiomyopathy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Heart Failure Using a Wearable Defibrillator: A Real-World Cohort Study.
This real-world cohort study evaluated arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy (AIC) in 780 patients with newly diagnosed left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF <35%) treated with a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) for concurrent persistent atrial fibrillation/flutter or high ventricular ectopy burden (>20%). The key finding was the frequency, predictors, and outcomes of AIC under early rhythm control using WCD, addressing how often AIC is recognized and how it evolves in routine practice (full quantitative results were truncated in the abstract). Scientifically and clinically, it informs risk stratification and early management strategies for potentially reversible cardiomyopathy driven by sustained arrhythmias.
Yogarajah J, Dannebaum J, Halim A et al. · Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Malignant Mitral Valve Prolapse With Life-Threatening Ventricular Arrhythmias: A Multidisciplinary Team-Guided Stepwise Management.
This case report studied a 45-year-old woman with bileaflet myxomatous mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and mitral annular disjunction who developed life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, including recurrent ventricular fibrillation and multiple ICD shocks, despite only mild mitral regurgitation and no detectable myocardial fibrosis on cardiac MRI. The multidisciplinary, stepwise management approach addressed both electrical instability and mechanical valve-related risk markers, demonstrating malignant arrhythmogenic MVP can occur even without severe MR or CMR-detected fibrosis. Scientifically and clinically, it supports using combined electrical and mechanical risk stratification to identify patients at imminent sudden cardiac death risk and to guide escalation beyond standard imaging alone.
Javadi N, Jahangir A, Galazka P et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Valvular heart disease outcomes and surgical timing (aortic stenosis/regurgitation/mitral)
Contemporary Overview of Aortic Regurgitation in Young Individuals: Insights From Real-Life Evidence.
This review summarized real-world evidence on aortic regurgitation (AR) in young individuals aged 18–44 years, focusing on diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention timing. It emphasizes that AR in young adults is often under- or misdiagnosed and that outcomes depend on severity, etiology, early left ventricular dysfunction, and chosen management strategy, with emerging LV assessment thresholds. The clinical significance is that it supports earlier, multimodality evaluation and more precise decision-making for surgery in chronic asymptomatic AR.
Sozzi FB, Gamberini G, Kim JK et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Intravenous IRON supplementation in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and iron deficiency (IRON-HFpEF): a comprehensive phase II multicentre placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial.
This phase II multicentre, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (IRON-HFpEF) evaluated whether intravenous iron supplementation improves cardiovascular function and exercise tolerance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) with iron deficiency (ID). Forty-five HFpEF patients with LV ejection fraction ≥50% and ID (excluding those with ID-anaemia) were randomized to ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) or placebo, with mechanistic assessments including exercise right heart catheterization, 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), and cardiac MRI at baseline and 4 months. The trial tests whether correcting iron deficiency can yield measurable functional and cardiovascular benefits in HFpEF, informing future therapeutic strategies.
van de Bovenkamp AA, Nassiri S, de Man FS et al. · European journal of heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Prevalence and characteristics of normal electrocardiograms in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
This retrospective study assessed the prevalence and clinical characteristics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients who had normal electrocardiograms (ECGs) and how this related to indicators of disease severity. Using ESC guideline criteria to identify HCM and then selecting patients with normal ECGs, the study aimed to characterize this milder subgroup that can be missed and delay diagnosis. Clinically, defining how often normal ECGs occur in HCM and what severity markers they still show could improve diagnostic vigilance and referral decisions.
Guler A, Gorgulu BK, Surgit O et al. · Journal of electrocardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Left Ventricular Rehabilitation after Ross operation for Critical Aortic Stenosis with Endocardial Fibroelastosis.
This study evaluated long-term clinical and functional outcomes after Ross operation in patients who underwent surgery before 1 year of age for critical aortic stenosis, stratifying by presence versus absence of endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE). The key finding was that outcomes were assessed in relation to EFE status after neonatal/infant Ross, addressing whether early surgery (with or without EFE resection) restores left ventricular (LV) function over time. This is significant for guiding long-term management and counseling in congenital critical aortic stenosis patients with EFE, where diastolic compliance and ventricular performance are impaired.
Jacob KA, Korsuize NA, van Wijk A et al. · The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Ischemic heart disease imaging and myocardial injury characterization
Layer-specific fast strain-encoded cardiovascular magnetic resonance in suspected acute coronary syndrome: a prospective study.
In a prospective single-center observational study, patients presenting with chest pain and low-to-intermediate pretest probability for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) underwent rapid cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) before further therapy, using layer-specific fast strain-encoded cardiovascular magnetic resonance (fSENC) to identify ischemic causes. The key finding was that layer-specific strain patterns from fast strain-encoded CMR were informative for distinguishing ischemic etiologies among patients with early myocardial injury detected by high-sensitivity troponin. Clinically, this supports rapid, noninvasive CMR strain phenotyping as a tool to better triage suspected acute coronary syndrome and potentially guide downstream invasive management.
Weberling LD, Siry D, Haney AC et al. · Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Integrating Anatomy and Ischemia in Chest Pain Evaluation.
This review studied how to integrate anatomic and physiologic assessment for chest pain evaluation using noninvasive and invasive coronary testing strategies. It emphasized that coronary CT angiography with or without CT-derived fractional flow reserve and functional imaging (e.g., stress echocardiography, PET myocardial blood flow/flow reserve, and stress CMR) can triage patients and characterize disease, while invasive angiography combined with physiology (FFR/iFR) and intravascular imaging (IVUS and optical coherence tomography) refines lesion assessment. The clinical significance is more accurate identification of ischemia-causing coronary disease and better-guided management decisions.
Tiotsop M, Salabei JK · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Radiomics with native T1 mapping for contrast-free detection of acute and chronic myocardial infarction: A multicenter study.
This multicenter retrospective study evaluated contrast-free radiomics models based on native T1 mapping for detecting acute versus chronic myocardial infarction (MI) using 3.0T CMR. Using manual ROI delineation, recursive feature elimination, and ROC-based validation in 310 MI patients (162 acute, 148 chronic) plus 180 controls, it developed a diagnostic model for MI and an externally validated model to differentiate acute from chronic lesions (full performance metrics were truncated). Clinically, it supports non-contrast CMR-based characterization of MI stage, potentially improving accessibility and reducing gadolinium exposure.
Li S, Huo H, Zheng Y et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Giant Postischemic Left Ventricular Aneurysm Without Q Waves: Multimodality Imaging-Guided Surgery.
This case report studied a 55-year-old woman with inferolateral myocardial infarction who developed a giant postischemic left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) despite serial electrocardiograms showing no pathological Q waves. Multimodality imaging demonstrated progressive left ventricular remodeling with aneurysmal evolution and mural thrombus formation, guiding successful multimodality imaging-guided surgical management. Clinically, the report highlights that nonanterior LVA can be missed when Q waves are absent, and that imaging is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment planning.
Gaido L, Attisani M, Scalini F et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac tumors and metastases (imaging diagnosis and management)
Imaging of Myocardial Carcinoid Metastasis.
This case report series studied myocardial metastasis from neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in two patients, focusing on diagnostic performance of multimodality imaging. In both cases, myocardial lesions were detected on Gallium-68 DOTATATE PET/CT and further characterized by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), while transthoracic echocardiography had limited ability to identify myocardial metastases. The report is significant because it highlights CMR’s role in confirming and characterizing isolated cardiac NET metastases that may be missed on echocardiography.
Ranganath S, Ynalvez L, Ryoo Ali HJ et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac tumour in paediatrics: the role of multimodal imaging and therapeutic catheterisation.
This pediatric case report examined the diagnostic and therapeutic catheterization role of multimodal imaging for a cardiac tumor in a 14-year-old boy initially misdiagnosed as asymmetric septal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Imaging identified a highly vascular interventricular septal mass with marked right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed a lesion with high signal on HASTE/T1/T2 and a very high extracellular volume (67%). The clinical significance is that multimodal imaging can refine diagnosis and guide management, including therapeutic catheter-based strategies, in children with complex cardiac masses.
Trujeque L, Hernandez K, Tavera A · Cardiology in the young · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Massive cardiac echinococcosis.
This article reviewed and described a rare case of massive cardiac echinococcosis presenting with atypical symptoms such as chest pain or breathlessness, using multimodal imaging (chest radiograph, CT, and cardiac MRI). The key finding was the imaging characterization of cardiac hydatid disease consistent across modalities in this patient. Clinically, it highlights the diagnostic value of multimodal imaging for suspected cardiac echinococcosis, which can be easily missed due to nonspecific presentations.
Rai P, Aswani Y · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiotoxicity from cancer therapies and drug-induced cardiac injury
Superior anti-DLBCL efficacy of novel organic arsenical Z2-A-Z2 through ROS-mediated apoptosis and critical NF-κB/IκBα signaling pathway inhibition.
This preclinical study evaluated the novel organic arsenical compound Z2-A-Z2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell lines representing germinal center B-cell (GCB) and activated B-cell (ABC) subtypes, and compared effects in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Z2-A-Z2 inhibited DLBCL proliferation and induced reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis while suppressing the NF-κB/IκBα signaling pathway that supports lymphoma survival. These mechanistic and efficacy findings suggest Z2-A-Z2 as a potential targeted therapeutic strategy for NF-κB–driven, treatment-resistant DLBCL.
Wei W, Ma Y, Liu Y et al. · Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Naïve CD4+ T-cells and disease status at CART infusion correlate with clinical outcomes in real-world large B-cell lymphoma patients receiving second-line CAR T therapy.
This retrospective real-world study analyzed whether baseline immunologic features—specifically naïve CD4+ T-cells—and disease status at the time of CART infusion predict outcomes in 64 patients with large B-cell lymphoma receiving second-line CAR T therapy. The key finding was that naïve CD4+ T-cell levels and disease status at infusion correlated with clinical outcomes, with primary refractory and progressive disease at infusion associated with inferior response rates. This is clinically significant because it identifies potential biomarkers for selecting patients and anticipating durability of response for axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) and lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel).
Schneider M, Paruzzo L, Stella F et al. · Nature communications · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Fluoropyrimidine Cardiotoxicity With Overlapping Vasospastic and Pericardial Features: A Diagnostic Challenge.
This case report studied fluoropyrimidine (5-fluorouracil) cardiotoxicity in a 57-year-old man with HER2-positive gastric cancer receiving FOLFOX-6M plus trastuzumab. During a 5-FU infusion he developed severe chest pain with ECG T-wave abnormalities and marked QTc prolongation, followed by new concave ST-segment elevation despite initially negative biomarkers and normal echocardiography and coronary CT angiography, highlighting overlapping vasospastic and pericardial features. Clinically, it underscores the diagnostic challenge of fluoropyrimidine-induced coronary vasospasm with possible pericardial involvement and the need for rapid multimodal evaluation during infusion-related symptoms.
Viñas-Mendieta AE, Valencia-Hernandez HA, Ruiz-Mori E et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Myopericarditis After Combined Idarubicin and Quizartinib in FLT3-ITD-Positive AML.
This JACC Case Reports report studied myopericarditis occurring after combined idarubicin and quizartinib in a 64-year-old man with FLT3-ITD-positive acute myeloid leukemia. After cytarabine and idarubicin followed by quizartinib, he developed fever, hypotension, troponin I elevation, and diffuse ST-segment elevation, and CMR showed late gadolinium enhancement consistent with myopericarditis (details truncated). The significance is heightened awareness that FLT3 inhibition with quizartinib—following anthracycline exposure—may precipitate inflammatory cardiac toxicity requiring prompt recognition and management.
Spahr ZR, Vasquez MA, Tangella A et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Unexplained Supraventricular Tachycardia and Myocardial Injury After Bitter Orange Supplement Use in a Young Woman.
This case report studied a 38-year-old woman who developed unexplained supraventricular tachycardia and myocardial injury after using a weight-loss supplement containing bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) with p-synephrine. Her supraventricular tachycardia was terminated with 6 mg intravenous adenosine, while high-sensitivity troponin I rose markedly (17.9 to 1,395.7 ng/L), indicating acute myocardial injury despite initially unremarkable echocardiography. The case underscores the potential for sympathomimetic supplement ingredients (p-synephrine) to trigger arrhythmia and myocardial injury, supporting clinician awareness and prompt evaluation after such exposures.
Plaitis A, Grigoraki E, Karakosta M et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiometabolic risk and insulin resistance biomarkers
Glucose Disposal Rate: A Novel Measure of Insulin Resistance Associated With Myocardial Fibrosis and Incident Heart Failure.
This study evaluated whether the estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), a surrogate measure of insulin resistance, is associated with myocardial fibrosis and incident heart failure in participants from the MESA cohort. Among 6025 individuals free of heart failure at exam 2, eGDR was calculated from body mass index, hypertension, and hemoglobin A1c, and cardiac magnetic resonance in 2010–2012 assessed left ventricular ejection fraction and myocardial fibrosis. The significance is that lower eGDR may identify insulin-resistant individuals at higher risk of myocardial fibrosis and future heart failure, linking cardiometabolic risk to cardiac structural remodeling.
Bukhari S, Kwapong YA, Yanek LR et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Associations of Metabolic Phenotypes with Cardiac Structure and Clinical Outcomes: Insights from the UK Biobank.
This prospective UK Biobank study examined how metabolic phenotypes—metabolically healthy nonobese (MHN) vs metabolically healthy obese (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy nonobese (MUN) vs metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO)—relate to cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) measures and subsequent clinical outcomes in 22,789 adults. Metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) showed the most adverse cardiac structure and worst clinical outcomes compared with healthier metabolic phenotypes, with obesity status and metabolic health jointly stratifying risk. These findings support using combined obesity–metabolic health phenotyping alongside CMR to improve cardiovascular risk prediction and identify higher-risk patients earlier.
Bogner B, Jung M, Reisert M et al. · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Subclinical Origins of Cardiometabolic Risk in Indian Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.
This cross-sectional study in 40 apparently healthy Indian adolescents (ages 11–16) investigated how body fat and hepatic fat relate to cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors. Hepatic fat measured by MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF) on a 3.0 T GE Signa system and whole-body fat measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were associated with cardiometabolic risk markers such as glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid profile, and seated blood pressure. These findings suggest that early fat accumulation—especially hepatic fat—may contribute to subclinical cardiometabolic risk during adolescence.
Hegde SG, Kankara SR, Raj JM et al. · Indian pediatrics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Exercise physiology and cardiopulmonary/exercise CMR phenotyping
Dynamic right ventricular and atrial volume responses to exercise in endurance-trained and untrained healthy individuals.
This prospective exercise CMR study compared dynamic right ventricular (RV) and atrial (left and right atrial) volume responses during exercise in 33 healthy individuals—20 endurance-trained (ET) and 13 untrained (UT)—while controlling for respiratory effects using exercise real-time CMR. The key finding was that RV and atrial volume dynamics during exercise differed between ET and UT groups, indicating distinct cardiopulmonary volume adaptation patterns with training. These results are important for understanding exercise physiology and for using standardized exercise CMR protocols to characterize right-sided and atrial functional reserve.
Östenson B, Ostenfeld E, Edlund J et al. · PloS one · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Advanced CMR acquisition/acceleration and quantitative imaging methods
Fast and scalable annotation-free LV-centered ROI localisation in stress perfusion cardiac MRI.
This study developed and evaluated an annotation-free pipeline for left ventricle (LV)-centered region-of-interest (ROI) localization in stress perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) using raw perfusion frames. The method combined Fast Fourier Transform-based localization, Sobel edge refinement, and a heuristic fallback, with a circular post-processing ROI to produce consistent LV-centered ROIs without task-specific labels. This enables faster, scalable stress perfusion CMR analysis in settings where manual annotation and labeled datasets are scarce.
Kalashami MP, Fagioli A, Marini MR et al. · Computers in biology and medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Impact of formalin fixation on biventricular parameters in cardiac diffusion tensor imaging: A pilot study in a miniature swine model.
This pilot study examined how formalin fixation alters biventricular cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) parameters in a miniature swine model, comparing ex-vivo cDTI acquired at baseline and days 5 and 9 post-fixation with histology (H&E) on day 10. Helix angle (HA) and HA transmurality changed after fixation, with subepicardial HA becoming more negative after formalin exposure (with segment-level head-to-head analysis across 64 myocardial segments). These findings are important for standardizing cDTI workflows and interpreting myocardial microstructural metrics when using fixed-tissue reference standards.
Zhu L, Xu J, Cui C et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Simultaneous multi-slice Cardiac Diffusion Tensor Imaging with variable CAIPIRINHA shifts and artefact-aware AI.
This study developed ORCAS, a simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) acceleration framework that combines variable CAIPIRINHA shifts with artefact-aware AI reconstruction, targeting the need to reduce long cDTI acquisition times. The key finding was that variable CAIPIRINHA acquisition reduces inter-slice leakage artefacts across repetitions while the AI reconstruction further mitigates SMS-related artefacts to improve usable image quality at accelerated scan times. This is significant for enabling practical in-vivo cDTI by improving signal-to-noise and artefact control without requiring prohibitively many repetitions.
Tänzer M, Lim EJ, Qiu HH et al. · Medical image analysis · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Quantitative ventricular trabeculation assessment in cardiac MRI: optimised blood-pool segmentation, box-counting fractal analysis and non-fractal measurements.
This methodological study optimized quantitative ventricular trabeculation assessment on cardiac MRI by improving blood-pool segmentation and applying box-counting fractal analysis plus alternative non-fractal metrics. The key finding was that an automated level-set segmentation workflow and careful selection of box size/sampling/rotation improved reliability of fractal dimension (FD) measurements for left and right ventricles at end-diastole and end-systole. This is significant for enabling robust, large-scale cohort analyses of trabeculation complexity, which may support research into ventricular remodeling and disease phenotyping.
Sedlacik J, McGurk KA, Tokarczuk PF et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
AI/ML and computational imaging pipelines for cardiac diagnosis/prognosis
Fourier-Net+: Band-Limited Spatial Representation for Efficient Medical Image Registration.
This work proposed Fourier-Net+ for efficient unsupervised medical image registration, targeting high-resolution volumetric data and predicting dense displacement fields. Fourier-Net+ uses deterministic Fourier-domain band-limiting for efficient down-/up-sampling and a parameter-free, model-driven decoder to learn a low-dimensional band-limited representation of the displacement field. The approach is significant because it reduces computational cost while maintaining broad modality compatibility by operating on real-valued images.
Jia X, Thorley A, Gomez A et al. · IEEE transactions on neural networks and learning systems · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
A composable multimodal framework for cine CMR-text-driven prediction of heart failure outcomes.
This study proposed and evaluated a composable multimodal framework for cine CMR text-driven prediction of heart failure outcomes, aiming to support more holistic assessment and treatment optimization. Using multimodal algorithmic components that incorporate cine CMR information with text-driven modeling, the framework was designed to improve prediction of heart failure outcomes despite the disease’s multifactorial complexity. If validated, this approach could enhance risk stratification and clinical decision-making by extracting richer prognostic signals from CMR data.
Chen J, Sun J, Wang X et al. · Physiological measurement · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
CardioSynth: Parameter-driven cardiac MRI generation via oriented bounding boxes.
This study developed CardioSynth, a parameter-driven synthetic cardiac MRI generation framework using oriented bounding boxes to represent and modify cardiac substructures. The key finding is that encoding substructures as oriented bounding boxes enables controlled area modifications while preserving anatomical plausibility, supporting efficient generation for research and monitoring contexts where real CMR is costly. The significance is enabling scalable, controllable cardiac imaging simulation for studying development, adaptation, and disease progression.
Banerjee S, Mazumder O, Sinha A · Computer methods and programs in biomedicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
High-precision brain tumor segmentation with switchable normalization in faster R-CNN architecture.
This study investigated high-precision brain tumor segmentation from multi-modal MRI using a switchable normalization-based Faster R-CNN (SNFRC) architecture with a detection-first strategy. The key finding is that incorporating switchable normalization in the region proposal network improves feature consistency across heterogeneous MRI intensity/protocol distributions and supports accurate pixel-wise tumor masking, with a composite loss function including Dice loss (details truncated). Scientifically, it advances robust automated segmentation for irregular small tumors under real-world multi-center imaging variability.
Kumar DR, Reddy PV, Mohammad H et al. · Scientific reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Hemodynamic and vascular interventions (including MRI-guided procedures)
Arteriovenous fistula creation results in cardiac dysfunction and remodeling in a uremic pig model.
This study investigated cardiovascular changes after arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation in a uremic pig model of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), including AVF creation supported by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). AVF creation led to cardiac dysfunction and remodeling in the uremic pigs, characterizing the hemodynamic consequences relevant to dialysis patients. The findings are clinically important because they provide a large-animal model to study mechanisms of AVF-induced cardiac remodeling and potential interventions.
Kane J, Singh PG, Kilari S et al. · American journal of physiology. Renal physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Pulmonary Artery Stenting in a Commercial Wide-Bore 0.55-T Scanner.
This preclinical feasibility study tested magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided pulmonary artery (PA) stenting in a swine model using a commercial wide-bore 0.55-T MRI system with ferumoxytol-enhanced imaging. PA stent deployment was successful in 7 of 10 juvenile pigs, with all successful cases occurring after switching from femoral to external jugular venous access, and real-time gradient echo imaging provided sufficient visualization for catheter navigation and stent deployment. The work supports the technical feasibility of radiation-free, MRI-guided vascular interventions for complex PA procedures.
Liu Y, Kelly JM, Swinning J et al. · JACC. Basic to translational science · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Epidemiology, public health trends, and population risk
Measurement of quality of stroke care with national electronic health records: a prospective cohort study during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This prospective cohort study used linked national electronic health records in England to evaluate stroke care quality during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, including metrics such as secondary prevention medication dispensing and a proxy for disability-time spent at home (“home-time”) in 425,675 adults. The key finding was that linked EHR data can capture and quantify stroke care quality measures that are not routinely recorded, enabling before/after pandemic comparisons. This is significant because it validates a scalable approach for monitoring stroke system performance and outcomes using routinely collected data.
Farrell J, Nolan J, Lambert R et al. · BMJ open · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Trends and Projections for Aortic Stenosis and Hypertension-Related Mortality Among Older Adults in the United States: A Retrospective Population-Based Analysis.
This retrospective, population-based analysis studied trends and projections of mortality related to aortic stenosis (AS) and hypertension (HTN) among older adults in the United States from 1999 to 2020. Using CDC WONDER multiple-cause-of-death data with joinpoint regression and ARIMA-based projections to 2030, the study quantified mortality trends and demographic-geographic disparities in the comorbid AS+HTN population. The significance lies in informing public health planning by identifying how combined AS and HTN mortality patterns are changing over time and may evolve through 2030.
Bhatti MI, Safiullah M, Farhan K et al. · High blood pressure & cardiovascular prevention : the official journal of the Italian Society of Hypertension · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Structural and Functional Abnormalities in the Preterm Heart: From Development to Adulthood.
This review article synthesized evidence on structural and functional abnormalities in the preterm heart, tracing mechanisms from neonatal development to adulthood. It highlights multiple contributors to later cardiovascular disease risk, including abnormal oxygen exposure, disrupted cellular architecture and extracellular matrix, altered cardiomyocyte mitochondrial number/function, immature sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum, and increased exposure to surgical procedural stress. The scientific significance is that it frames why preterm birth leads to long-term cardiovascular vulnerability and supports the need for clinical surveillance and targeted research.
Zegelbone P, Young K, Hughes F et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Adversity, lifestyle, and prevention (including ACEs/substance use)
Determining adverse childhood experiences and their association with substance use among young adults in universities and colleges in Mombasa County, Kenya.
This cross-sectional study in 849 young adults from universities and colleges in Mombasa County, Kenya assessed associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and substance use (alcohol, tobacco products, and illicit drugs). Participants reporting ACEs were more likely to report substance use, indicating a persistent relationship between early adversity and later substance-related behaviors. The results highlight ACE-informed prevention and screening as potentially important for reducing substance use risk in higher-education populations.
Odero M, Kihoro RW, Mbogo PW et al. · Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Generated automatically on May 21, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published May 14, 2026 – May 21, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.