What's New in Cardiac MRI? — May 22, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 62 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
May 22, 2026 · 62 articles · 15 research themes · covering May 15, 2026 – May 22, 2026
Overview
Across this week’s set, a dominant theme is the push toward more scalable, standardized, and interpretable cardiovascular imaging—especially cardiac MRI. Multiple studies focus on improving acquisition speed (e.g., 3D ultrafast CMR in adolescents), reducing reliance on contrast or manual work (contrast-free radiomics for MI; annotation-free LV-centered ROI localization for stress perfusion), and strengthening reproducibility (standardizing native T1 mapping locations/techniques; AI-assisted quantification agreement; fixation-aware diffusion tensor imaging workflows). In parallel, new computational approaches—ranging from synthetic image generation with controllable anatomy (CardioSynth) to efficient registration (Fourier-Net+) and faster diffusion tensor imaging reconstruction (ORCAS)—aim to make advanced CMR biomarkers more practical for large cohorts and routine care.
A second major theme is imaging-driven characterization of myocardial injury and remodeling, with fibrosis and mechanics repeatedly emerging as key targets. Several articles emphasize diffuse or interstitial fibrosis beyond focal scar (DMF distribution in aortic stenosis; ECV vs LGE for diffuse remodeling; trabeculation quantification methods), while others explore mechanical phenotyping (CMR-derived elasticity after MI; hemodynamic force biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor cardiotoxicity; exercise-induced chamber dynamics; right-heart diastology frameworks). These efforts converge on the idea that “earlier than EF” and “beyond regional scar” markers may better predict progression and guide intervention timing.
Finally, the digest highlights a strong inflammatory/infiltrative and cardio-oncology thread, reflecting the clinical value of multimodality diagnosis and risk stratification. Reviews and consensus statements stress multimodal imaging for myocarditis-spectrum disease (including inflammatory cardiomyopathy), sarcoidosis (with FDG PET/CT protocol optimization and CMR integration), and Chagas cardiomyopathy. In immune checkpoint inhibitor contexts, both meta-analytic and prospective work support CMR—particularly LGE—as a high-yield diagnostic tool and explore novel CMR-derived biomarkers for earlier detection of cardiotoxicity. Complementing this, real-world and case-based reports show how advanced imaging can uncover rare or atypical cardiac involvement (cardiac metastases, tumors, parasitic disease) that echocardiography may miss, reinforcing multimodality pathways for accurate diagnosis.
Cardiac MRI synthesis, reconstruction, and AI quantification
Investigation of Concordance between Artificial Intelligence and Manual Measurements of the Cardiac Parameters in Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
This prospective external validation study assessed concordance between a commercially available artificial intelligence (AI) CMR analysis system and manual measurements for biventricular parameters and per-segment left ventricular wall thickness (LVWT) in 100 healthy Chinese volunteers scanned on a 3.0T CMR system. The key finding was the degree of agreement between AI-derived and manual measurements for these cardiac parameters in a cohort independent from the AI training data. If concordance is high, this supports reliable AI-assisted CMR quantification for scalable cardiac assessment in routine clinical workflows.
Tang R, Xu Z, Huang Z et al. · Journal of imaging informatics in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Contrastive language image pretraining for a cardiac magnetic resonance image embedding with zero-shot capabilities.
This study introduced CMR-CLIP, a contrastive vision-language pretraining model that treats cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) images as videos to learn embeddings jointly from CMR studies and associated reports, enabling zero-shot capabilities. Trained on 11,028 single-center CMR studies, the model was designed to reduce dependence on large labeled datasets by leveraging image–text contrastive learning. The scientific significance is that CMR-CLIP could improve retrieval, annotation, and downstream clinical tasks using only reports, facilitating scalable multimodal CMR understanding.
Nakashima M, Qiu J, Huang P et al. · Nature communications · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Fast and scalable annotation-free LV-centered ROI localisation in stress perfusion cardiac MRI.
This study developed and tested an annotation-free, left-ventricle-centered region-of-interest (LV-centered ROI) localization pipeline for stress perfusion cardiac MRI that integrates Fast Fourier Transform-based localization, Sobel edge refinement, and a heuristic fallback. It found that the method can generate consistent LV-centered ROIs directly from raw perfusion frames without task-specific labeled training data. The clinical significance is faster, scalable preprocessing for stress perfusion CMR analysis, reducing reliance on manual annotation in settings where labeled datasets are scarce.
Kalashami MP, Fagioli A, Marini MR et al. · Computers in biology and medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Fourier-Net+: Band-Limited Spatial Representation for Efficient Medical Image Registration.
This work proposed Fourier-Net+ for efficient medical image registration by learning a band-limited, low-dimensional representation of the displacement field rather than predicting full-resolution dense displacement fields in the spatial domain. It found that deterministic Fourier-domain band-limiting with a parameter-free, model-driven decoder reduces computational cost while maintaining compatibility across real-valued imaging modalities. The scientific significance is improved scalability of deformable registration for high-resolution volumetric medical images, potentially enabling faster workflows in imaging pipelines.
Jia X, Thorley A, Gomez A et al. · IEEE transactions on neural networks and learning systems · (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 ex-vivo study examined how formalin fixation affects biventricular cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) parameters in a miniature swine model, using histology as the reference standard. The key finding was that formalin fixation altered diffusion-tensor-derived helix angle (HA) metrics—e.g., subepicardial HA became more negative after fixation—while histology (H&E) assessed HA and HA transmurality after 10 days (full quantitative results truncated). This is significant for standardizing cDTI workflows and ensuring that fixation-related bias is accounted for when comparing imaging with histology.
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 introduced ORCAS, an artefact-aware AI reconstruction framework combined with variable CAIPIRINHA acquisition, to enable simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) with reduced scan time. The key finding was that variable CAIPIRINHA shifts can decohere SMS leakage artefacts across repetitions while ORCAS improves reconstruction quality despite low SNR constraints, addressing the long acquisition time problem inherent to cDTI averaging (full performance metrics truncated). Scientifically and clinically, faster in-vivo cDTI could make myocardial microstructure assessment more practical for routine cardiac imaging.
Tänzer M, Lim EJ, Qiu HH et al. · Medical image analysis · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Quantitative ventricular trabeculation assessment in cardiac MRI: optimised blood-pool segmentation, box-counting fractal analysis and non-fractal measurements.
This methodological study optimized quantitative trabeculation assessment on cardiac MRI by improving blood-pool segmentation (level-set method) and applying box-counting fractal analysis plus alternative non-fractal metrics to derive trabeculation measures at end-diastole and end-systole. The key finding is that the authors’ optimized automated workflow improves reliability for large-scale cohort analysis and clarifies how box size, sampling, and rotation affect fractal dimension estimates. Scientifically, this enables more reproducible, scalable quantification of ventricular trabeculation that may support future risk stratification and comparative studies across populations.
Sedlacik J, McGurk KA, Tokarczuk PF et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (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 that encodes cardiac substructures as oriented bounding boxes to enable controlled area modifications. The key finding is that oriented bounding box representations allow progressive, parameter-controlled label modifications while preserving anatomical plausibility in generated cardiac images. This is significant because it provides a controllable, synthetic-data approach that could reduce the cost of cardiac MRI for research and support studies of development, adaptation, and disease progression.
Banerjee S, Mazumder O, Sinha A · Computer methods and programs in biomedicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI acquisition optimization & protocol standardization
Validation of a novel three-dimensional ultrafast cardiac magnetic resonance imaging protocol in adolescents: a non-inferiority study compared with the two-dimensional gold standard.
This study validated a novel three-dimensional (3D) ultrafast cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) protocol against a conventional two-dimensional (2D) gold-standard protocol in 39 adolescents (mean age 12.2±2.6 years) at 3 Tesla. The 3D ultrafast protocol was non-inferior to the 2D protocol for assessing cardiac function, strain, and tissue characterization while reducing acquisition burden (e.g., breath-holds). This supports broader pediatric CMR feasibility for faster, reliable evaluation of myocardial mechanics and tissue in adolescents.
Chen W, Liu S, Li W et al. · Pediatric radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Pulmonary Artery Stenting in a Commercial Wide-Bore 0.55-T Scanner.
This preclinical feasibility study assessed MRI-guided pulmonary artery (PA) stenting in a swine model using a commercial wide-bore 0.55-T MRI scanner with ferumoxytol-enhanced imaging. PA stent deployment was successful in 7/10 juvenile pigs, with all successful cases occurring after switching access from femoral to external jugular venous access, and real-time gradient-echo imaging provided sufficient visualization for catheter navigation and stent deployment. The clinical significance is that MRI-guided PA stenting could reduce or eliminate radiation exposure for complex vascular interventions if translated to human workflows.
Liu Y, Kelly JM, Swinning J et al. · JACC. Basic to translational science · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI biomarkers of myocardial fibrosis & remodeling
Distribution of diffuse myocardial fibrosis is uneven and associated with left ventricular function in severe aortic stenosis.
This study investigated diffuse myocardial fibrosis (DMF) distribution in 43 patients with severe aortic stenosis by combining CMR tissue characteristics with myocardial biopsy-derived information and relating DMF to left ventricular (LV) function. It found that DMF is unevenly distributed across the myocardium and that the pattern/extent of DMF is associated with worse LV function. These results support CMR-based DMF quantification as a tool for understanding remodeling mechanisms and potentially identifying patients with less reversible fibrosis.
Holmberg E, Engvall J, Nylander E et al. · Open heart · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Interstitial Myocardial Fibrosis Analysis by Histology and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Severe Aortic Valve Disease.
This study compared interstitial myocardial fibrosis measured by collagen volume fraction (CVF) from biopsy with cardiac MRI measures in patients with severe aortic valve disease. The key finding was that while LGE reflects regional fibrosis, extracellular volume (ECV) derived from native and post-contrast T1 mapping better captures interstitial fibrosis patterns that correlate with biopsy CVF (correlation analyses truncated). The significance is that ECV may provide a more sensitive CMR biomarker of diffuse interstitial remodeling in severe aortic stenosis than LGE alone.
Bello JHSM, Demarchi LMMF, Fonseca RA et al. · Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI for cardiomyopathy phenotyping (HCM, DCM, dystrophinopathy)
Prognostic Impact of LGE Granularity Using CMR in End‑Stage Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
This retrospective multicenter CMR study evaluated prognostic value of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) granularity features (location, extent, and pattern) in patients with end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) defined by left ventricular ejection fraction <50% referred for CMR at three French tertiary hospitals (2008–2024). LGE granularity modeling was assessed as a prognostic marker for outcomes in this advanced HCM population. These findings could improve risk stratification beyond conventional CMR metrics in end-stage HCM, potentially guiding earlier and more tailored management.
Hudelo J, Garot J, Toupin S et al. · Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
T1 Mapping In Differentiating Healthy And Pathological Myocardium.
This retrospective study compared native T1 mapping measurement locations and techniques at 1.5T CMR to differentiate non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) from controls across 143 subjects (61 NIDCM, 60 HCM, 22 controls). The key finding was identification of an optimal standardized native T1 mapping approach (location/technique) with the best diagnostic performance for distinguishing healthy from pathological myocardium. Standardizing native T1 mapping could improve reproducibility and clinical decision-making for cardiomyopathy phenotyping without relying solely on contrast-based measures.
Bozer Uludağ S, Ünal S, Peker E et al. · Anatolian journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Natural history of cardiac involvement in women carrying pathogenic DMD gene variants: a 7-year longitudinal study.
This 7-year prospective longitudinal study characterized the natural history of cardiac involvement in 34 women carrying pathogenic dystrophin (DMD) gene variants (19 Duchenne-predicted, 15 Becker-predicted) using repeated cardiac magnetic resonance with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). The key finding was the evolution over time of ventricular function, myocardial fibrosis, and conduction/arrhythmia abnormalities in this at-risk population. Defining long-term cardiac trajectories in DMD gene–carrier women is clinically significant for optimizing surveillance and timing of cardioprotective interventions.
Lyu Z, Joensen H, Poulsen NS et al. · Journal of neurology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI in cardiac dystrophinopathy: recommendations on imaging.
This article provided expert recommendations on cardiac MRI (CMR) for cardiac dystrophinopathy, focusing on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and the need for regular imaging to track progressive cardiac dysfunction and treatment response. It emphasizes that CMR detects tissue changes earlier than echocardiography and maintains measurement accuracy across disease progression. Standardized CMR imaging guidance is significant for improving longitudinal monitoring and informing heart-drug management in DMD.
McDiarmid A, Augustine D, Coats C et al. · Open heart · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Epidemiology of non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
This narrative review summarized the epidemiology of non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), focusing on prevalence, sex differences, and the role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in detecting early/subclinical disease. It reports that current prevalence is estimated at about 1 in 220 based on CMR studies and that prevalence is roughly twice as high in men than in women, with genetic technologies improving understanding of non-ischaemic DCM causes. The significance is that updated epidemiologic estimates and genetic insights can refine screening strategies and guide future precision medicine approaches for DCM.
Ramos-López N, Domínguez F, Ochoa JP et al. · Nature reviews. Cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Prevalence and characteristics of normal electrocardiograms in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
This retrospective study evaluated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients who have a normal electrocardiogram (ECG) and how this relates to disease severity. The key finding was that although most HCM patients show ECG abnormalities, a smaller subgroup can present with a normal ECG, potentially delaying diagnosis, and the study quantified prevalence and associated severity indicators (specific prevalence/severity metrics truncated). Clinically, recognizing “normal-ECG” HCM phenotypes can improve diagnostic vigilance and earlier identification of genetic cardiomyopathy.
Guler A, Gorgulu BK, Surgit O et al. · Journal of electrocardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Diagnostic Insights and Future Directions.
This narrative review synthesizes observational cohort, mechanistic, and longitudinal evidence on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), focusing on patterns of elevation and associations with imaging and clinical outcomes. The key finding is that hs-cTn reflects myocardial stress/injury in HCM and shows clinically relevant relationships with disease severity and outcomes across multiple cohorts. This supports hs-cTn as a potential biomarker to better phenotype HCM and monitor risk beyond traditional measures.
Hassan A, Mizori R, Malik A et al. · Cardiology in review · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Inflammatory/infiltrative cardiomyopathies & myocarditis spectrum
Serum vs. tissue cytokine dysregulation in SLE-associated myocarditis: a hypothesis from an African cohort perspective.
This hypothesis-driven study in an African mixed-ancestry lupus myocarditis cohort compared serum cytokine profiles with cardiac tissue inflammatory cytokine dysregulation and related these to standard-of-care parameters including cardiac MRI (CMR) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with and without myocarditis. It recruited controls (n=6), SLE without myocarditis (n=13), and SLE with myocarditis (n=14) and used immunoassays for serum cytokines alongside SOC clinical assessment and CMR. The work is significant because it links tissue-level inflammation to clinically measurable biomarkers and imaging, potentially improving understanding and diagnosis of lupus myocarditis.
Ollewagen T, Toit RD, Karamchand S et al. · Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Current state of knowledge on the epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis, and management of heart involvement in eosinophilia. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the ESC Working Group on Myocardial & Pericardial Diseases.
This 2026 ESC Working Group clinical consensus statement reviewed epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, and management of heart involvement in eosinophilia/eosinophilic heart disease, emphasizing that it is often missed and may present without peripheral eosinophilia. It highlights that organ/tissue biopsy of the affected site can be essential for diagnosis in selected patients and provides guidance to increase early recognition and appropriate treatment. The clinical significance is improved awareness and earlier diagnosis to reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality in eosinophil-associated cardiac disease.
Kuchynka P, Brucato A, Tschöpe C et al. · European journal of heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
[Chagas cardiomyopathy].
This article reviewed the clinical role of cardiovascular imaging for Chagas cardiomyopathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, focusing on how myocardial involvement is detected and risk-stratified over time. It highlights that cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) enables myocardial tissue characterization and fibrosis detection, complementing echocardiography’s functional assessment. Improved imaging-based early detection of myocardial fibrosis and risk markers is clinically significant for preventing progression to heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
Redzepi B, Mainta I, Jackson Y et al. · Revue medicale suisse · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Multimodality Imaging in Inflammatory Cardiac Disease.
This review studied how multimodality imaging is used to diagnose and manage inflammatory cardiac diseases—including myocarditis, cardiac sarcoidosis, infective endocarditis, and pericarditis—in clinical practice. It found that transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography are first-line (particularly for infective endocarditis and pericardial effusion), while cardiac MRI provides gold-standard tissue characterization for myocarditis and cardiac sarcoidosis and CT helps define anatomy such as valves, abscesses, and pericardial calcification. The clinical significance is improved diagnostic precision and treatment planning by matching the imaging modality to the specific inflammatory cardiac pathology.
Mahmood A, Ramesh J, Patel DS et al. · Cardiology in review · (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) in 141 patients with biopsy- or cardiac magnetic resonance-proven recurrence, compared with 372 patients with single acute myocarditis (S-AM). It characterized clinical features and measured a composite outcome including all-cause mortality, heart transplant, and major ventricular arrhythmias. The significance is improved prognostic understanding of recurrent myocarditis to inform monitoring intensity and management decisions 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 proposed and reviewed multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) approaches for early detection and precision management of inflammatory and infiltrative cardiomyopathies, including cardiac sarcoidosis, transthyretin amyloidosis, and autoimmune myocarditis. It argues that AI can integrate ECG, echocardiography, CMR, PET/scintigraphy, biomarkers, and electronic health record (EHR) features to improve diagnostic suspicion, tissue-based phenotyping, and risk-directed triage. The significance is earlier, more accurate diagnosis of these often underrecognized conditions, potentially enabling more timely and tailored treatment.
Adrejiya P, Alkhatib DA, Aljaroudi W · Current problems in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
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 from the Italian Society of Cardiology Working Group on cardiomyopathies and pericardial diseases (with the Italian Society of Cardiology Working Group on cardiac magnetic resonance) addresses inflammatory cardiomyopathy (iCMP) within the myocarditis spectrum. The key finding is that iCMP represents a chronic inflammatory phenotype with persistent myocardial inflammation, systolic dysfunction, and adverse remodeling, often evolving from prior acute/subacute myocarditis and requiring a multimodal diagnostic approach. Clinically, it provides guidance for recognizing iCMP early and applying comprehensive evaluation to reduce progression to dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and arrhythmias.
Imazio M, Jahnsen V, Merlo M et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac sarcoidosis and FDG PET/CT–CMR integration
FDG PET for cardiac sarcoidosis: Protocol optimization, quantification, pitfalls, and multimodality imaging integration.
This 2026 review summarized how to optimize FDG PET protocols for cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), including quantification pitfalls and how to integrate PET with multimodality imaging such as echocardiography and cardiac MRI within a probabilistic diagnostic framework. It highlights practical issues in dietary preparation and PET interpretation that affect diagnostic accuracy and management decisions. The clinical significance is improved reliability of FDG PET for CS diagnosis and risk stratification when combined with CMR and other imaging modalities.
Wopperer SB, Kronzer E, Ivare J et al. · Seminars in nuclear medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
[Cardiac sarcoidosis in 2026 : current perspectives].
This 2026 perspective article summarized current diagnostic approaches for cardiac sarcoidosis, emphasizing that endomyocardial biopsy has limited sensitivity (~20%). It argues that prompt detection using advanced imaging—particularly [18F]-FDG PET/CT and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)—is crucial for identifying active inflammation and myocardial involvement. Earlier and more accurate imaging diagnosis is significant because it can guide timely immunosuppressive therapy and reduce morbidity from arrhythmias, heart failure, and sudden death.
Sritharan A, Hermann Kamani C, Lu H et al. · Revue medicale suisse · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Ischemia, acute coronary syndrome, and myocardial infarction imaging
Layer-specific fast strain-encoded cardiovascular magnetic resonance in suspected acute coronary syndrome: a prospective study.
This prospective single-center observational study evaluated layer-specific fast strain-encoded cardiovascular magnetic resonance (fSENC) in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome presenting with chest pain and low-to-intermediate pretest probability for MACE. The key finding was that layer-specific strain analysis from rapid CMR can help identify ischemic causes by providing fast, tissue-relevant functional information prior to further therapy. This is clinically significant because it may improve non-invasive triage and decision-making in early ACS evaluation.
Weberling LD, Siry D, Haney AC et al. · Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Integrating Anatomy and Ischemia in Chest Pain Evaluation.
This review article discusses how chest pain evaluation should integrate coronary anatomy and ischemia using noninvasive and invasive strategies, including coronary CT angiography with or without CT-derived fractional flow reserve and functional imaging (e.g., stress echocardiography, PET myocardial blood flow/coronary flow reserve, and stress CMR). The key finding is that combining anatomic plaque assessment with physiologic ischemia testing improves triage and characterization compared with anatomy-only or function-only approaches. Scientifically and clinically, this framework helps select appropriate downstream testing and management for patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
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 using native T1 mapping CMR to detect myocardial infarction (MI) and distinguish acute versus chronic lesions in 310 MI patients (162 acute, 148 chronic) and 180 controls. The key finding was that radiomics features extracted from manually delineated ROIs and selected via recursive feature elimination produced diagnostic and acute/chronic differentiation models, with the acute/chronic model externally validated using ROC-based performance. This is clinically significant because it enables MI detection and lesion timing assessment without gadolinium contrast, potentially improving feasibility and safety for routine CMR workflows.
Li S, Huo H, Zheng Y et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac metastases and rare cardiac tumors (multimodal imaging)
Rare presentation of right ventricular myxoma causing severe anaemia and acute kidney injury.
This BMJ Case Reports report described a 53-year-old man with a rare right ventricular myxoma presenting with severe anemia and acute kidney injury. Using a multimodal diagnostic workup—including transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, CT with FDG PET, cardiac MRI, and endomyocardial biopsy—the clinicians identified the mass and treated it with surgical excision and tricuspid valve repair. The significance is educational: it illustrates the diagnostic pathway for complex intracardiac masses and the value of multimodality imaging in atypical presentations.
Shah S, Gill JS, Gill J et al. · BMJ case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Imaging of Myocardial Carcinoid Metastasis.
This JACC Case Reports study described two patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) presenting with isolated cardiac metastases without valvular involvement. It found that Gallium-68 DOTATATE PET/CT identified the cardiac lesions and cardiac MRI further characterized them, whereas transthoracic echocardiography had limited ability to detect myocardial metastases. The clinical significance is that multimodality imaging—especially PET/CT plus CMR—can improve recognition and characterization of rare 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 case report described a 14-year-old male with a cardiac murmur initially diagnosed as asymmetric septal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, later found to have a highly vascularized interventricular septal mass. It found that multimodal imaging (including cardiac MRI with high extracellular volume and characteristic signal on HASTE, T1, and T2 sequences) identified a lesion causing right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and the patient underwent therapeutic catheter-based management. The clinical significance is that multimodal imaging can redirect diagnosis away from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and guide targeted interventional treatment for pediatric cardiac tumors.
Trujeque L, Hernandez K, Tavera A · Cardiology in the young · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Massive cardiac echinococcosis.
This article is a case report describing massive cardiac echinococcosis, a rare manifestation of systemic hydatid disease, using multimodal imaging. The key finding was the demonstration of characteristic imaging findings across chest radiography, CT, and cardiac MRI in a patient presenting with atypical symptoms such as chest pain or breathlessness (details truncated). The clinical significance is that multimodal imaging can support diagnosis of an uncommon but serious parasitic cardiac condition.
Rai P, Aswani Y · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Valvular heart disease imaging & outcomes (AS/AR/EFE/Ross)
Contemporary Overview of Aortic Regurgitation in Young Individuals: Insights From Real-Life Evidence.
This real-world evidence overview studied contemporary diagnosis, natural history, and management of aortic regurgitation (AR) in young adults aged 18–44 years, emphasizing how severity, etiology, and early left ventricular dysfunction influence outcomes. It reports that AR in younger patients is frequently under- or misdiagnosed and that prognosis depends on regurgitation severity and the chosen intervention strategy, with ongoing uncertainty about optimal surgery timing in asymptomatic chronic AR. The clinical significance is improved risk stratification using echocardiography and emerging multimodality thresholds for left ventricular structural/functional assessment to guide earlier, more appropriate intervention.
Sozzi FB, Gamberini G, Kim JK et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Left Ventricular Rehabilitation after Ross operation for Critical Aortic Stenosis with Endocardial Fibroelastosis.
This study evaluated long-term clinical and functional outcomes after neonatal/infant Ross operations for critical aortic stenosis, comparing patients with and without endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) and analyzing echocardiographic follow-up. The key finding (from the reported long-term comparison) is that EFE status meaningfully influences long-term LV functional recovery after Ross, with outcomes differing between those with EFE and those without. Clinically, this helps refine prognostication and follow-up planning for infants undergoing Ross for critical aortic stenosis complicated by EFE.
Jacob KA, Korsuize NA, van Wijk A et al. · The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Heart failure risk prediction, subclinical HF, and HFpEF interventions
Multiparametric Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Characterization of the Noninfarcted Myocardium: Definition, Assessment, and Clinical Significance.
This retrospective study evaluated differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) versus transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in 1213 patients undergoing both tests within 1 week, and assessed determinants of discordant classification using ESC heart failure thresholds (50% and 35%). It found that CMR and TTE LVEF values can differ in ways that influence whether patients fall into guideline-based LVEF categories, with imaging characteristics associated with classification discordance. The scientific significance is that modality-specific LVEF measurement differences may affect clinical decision-making and risk stratification in patients with suspected or established heart failure.
Pavon AG, Bergamaschi L, Guglielmo M et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Comparison of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Disease Classification by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance and Echocardiography.
This study compared LVEF measurement agreement between cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and examined factors driving discordance in clinical classification in patients imaged by both modalities within a 1-week interval. It found that LVEF differences between CMR and TTE were associated with downstream discordance in ESC heart failure classification thresholds (50% and 35%), and logistic regression identified imaging characteristics linked to these discrepancies. The clinical significance is that switching or combining CMR and TTE for LVEF-based categorization may change patient classification and potentially treatment eligibility.
Le Y, An J, Liang L et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
A composable multimodal framework for cine CMR-text-driven prediction of heart failure outcomes.
This study developed and evaluated a composable multimodal, cine CMR–text-driven prediction framework for heart failure outcomes in patients with heart failure. The key finding was that integrating cine CMR imaging with clinical text in a composable multimodal model improved prediction of heart failure outcomes compared with unimodal or less-integrated approaches (details truncated in the abstract). This approach is significant because it supports more holistic, data-rich risk stratification in HF by combining cardiac imaging phenotypes with narrative clinical information.
Chen J, Sun J, Wang X et al. · Physiological measurement · (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 trial studied intravenous iron supplementation in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and iron deficiency (IRON-HFpEF), recruiting 45 participants from Amsterdam UMC and Maastricht UMC+. Participants were randomized to ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) versus placebo, and the trial assessed mechanistic effects on cardiovascular function and exercise tolerance using exercise right-heart catheterization, 6-minute walking distance, cardiac MRI, and exercise calf muscle 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (results truncated). The significance is that it tests whether correcting iron deficiency with FCM can improve HFpEF physiology and functional capacity beyond symptom-based endpoints.
van de Bovenkamp AA, Nassiri S, de Man FS et al. · European journal of heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Design and Rationale of the WE-CARE-HF-CMR Trial: Cardiorenal Care on Wheels for Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients (NCT07185100).
The WE-CARE-HF-CMR trial is studying the prevalence and detection of asymptomatic, subclinical heart failure (stage B) in urban populations using mobile cardiac MRI with left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) rather than left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The trial rationale is based on prior HERZCHECK mobile CMR data from rural Germany showing ~23% GLS-defined pre-HF, and it is designed to determine whether a similar burden exists in urban settings. If GLS-based mobile CMR improves early identification, it could enable earlier intervention strategies for HF prevention in real-world, resource-flexible screening programs.
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 ↗
Hemodynamics, mechanics, and right-heart diastology/physiology
Right Heart Diastology, Where Are We Now?
This 2026 review synthesized current evidence on right heart diastology across pulmonary vascular disease, heart failure, and congenital heart disease, focusing on how right atrial function, right ventricular compliance, and pulmonary arterial load interact as a unified diastolic unit. It argues that right-sided relaxation and compliance abnormalities often emerge before overt right heart systolic failure and are inconsistently measured in practice. Clinically, reframing and standardizing right heart diastolic assessment may enable earlier detection and better prognostic evaluation in pulmonary hypertension and related disorders.
Kocx CJ, Hemnes AR, Healy J et al. · Circulation research · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Metabolomics of Right Ventricular Function in Pulmonary Hypertension.
This multicenter metabolomics analysis used the PVDOMICS cohort to identify metabolites and pathways associated with right ventricular (RV) systolic function (fractional area change by echocardiography, global longitudinal strain by echocardiography, and ejection fraction by cardiac magnetic resonance) in pulmonary hypertension, including comparisons by pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary hypertension group 1 status, and sex. The study tested whether metabolite–RV function associations differed across these stratifications. Scientifically, defining RV dysfunction–linked metabolic signatures outside group 1 pulmonary hypertension could support mechanism-driven biomarkers and therapeutic targeting for RV failure.
Chacon-Barahona J, Chung SJ, Garry JD et al. · Circulation research · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Changes in myocardial elasticity derived from in-vivo cardiac MRI in a swine model of ischemic heart failure.
In a clinically relevant swine model of ischemic heart failure, this in-vivo cardiac MRI study quantified myocardial elasticity using a combined wall stress and wall strain approach to derive the secant modulus after myocardial infarction (MI). The key finding was that secant modulus derived from CMR captured myocardial mechanical changes associated with post-MI remodeling beyond traditional reliance on left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). This is significant because CMR-derived elasticity metrics may provide earlier, more sensitive markers of remodeling and potential targets for monitoring therapeutic response.
Lefkowitz E, Ref J, Bravo F et al. · Scientific reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Dynamic right ventricular and atrial volume responses to exercise in endurance-trained and untrained healthy individuals.
This study used exercise real-time four-chamber cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with respiratory control to compare dynamic right ventricular (RV) and atrial (LA/RA) volume responses during exercise between 20 endurance-trained (ET) and 13 untrained (UT) healthy individuals. The key finding was that RV and atrial volume dynamics during exercise differ between ET and UT groups when respiratory influences are standardized. Understanding these chamber-specific exercise adaptations is scientifically significant for interpreting normal cardiovascular physiology and for benchmarking disease-related remodeling.
Östenson B, Ostenfeld E, Edlund J et al. · PloS one · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Arteriovenous fistula creation results in cardiac dysfunction and remodeling in a uremic pig model.
This experimental study investigated cardiovascular effects of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation in a uremic pig model of end-stage kidney disease, using chronic kidney disease induction via renal embolization and subsequent AVF creation supported by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). It found that AVF creation led to cardiac dysfunction and remodeling in uremic pigs. The scientific significance is that this large-animal model can be used to mechanistically study AVF-induced cardiac remodeling relevant to hemodialysis patients.
Kane J, Singh PG, Kilari S et al. · American journal of physiology. Renal physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardio-oncology and immune checkpoint inhibitor cardiotoxicity
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 examined whether cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived hemodynamic forces (HDFs) relate to major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti–PD-1/PD-L1). Patients with normal baseline echocardiographic cardiac function underwent CMR about 12 weeks after starting ICI therapy, and the study tested associations between CMR HDF metrics and subsequent MACE. If validated, CMR HDF biomarkers could enable earlier identification of ICI-related cardiotoxicity risk in oncology patients.
Gao D, Wang Y, Shi Y et al. · BMC medical imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 for anti-diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) activity in GCB- and ABC-subtype DLBCL cell lines. Z2-A-Z2 showed superior anti-DLBCL efficacy by inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis and inhibiting the NF-κB/IκBα signaling pathway, with mechanistic support from flow cytometry (apoptosis/ROS/mitochondrial membrane potential) and Western blot analyses. The scientific significance is that Z2-A-Z2 targets a key survival pathway in therapy-resistant DLBCL, supporting further development as a potential targeted anticancer agent.
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.
In a retrospective real-world cohort of 64 patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma receiving second-line CAR T therapy (commercial axicabtagene ciloleucel [axi-cel] or lisocabtagene maraleucel [liso-cel]), the study assessed how naïve CD4+ T-cell characteristics and disease status at CAR T infusion relate to outcomes. Primary refractory disease and progressive disease at infusion were associated with inferior response rates, while overall and complete response rates were similar between axi-cel and liso-cel. Scientifically and clinically, these immune and disease-status predictors could help stratify patients for second-line CAR T and guide earlier intervention strategies to improve durability of benefit.
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 JACC Case Reports report describes a 57-year-old man with HER2-positive gastric cancer who developed fluoropyrimidine cardiotoxicity during 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) infusion as part of FOLFOX-6M plus trastuzumab, with overlapping features of vasospasm and pericardial involvement. The key finding is that despite initially negative cardiac biomarkers and normal echocardiography/coronary CT angiography, the patient developed evolving ischemic ECG changes (including new concave ST-segment elevation) consistent with a diagnostic challenge in fluoropyrimidine-induced cardiac injury. Clinically, it highlights the need for high suspicion and careful monitoring for vasospastic and inflammatory pericardial mechanisms even when early biomarkers and imaging are unrevealing.
Viñas-Mendieta AE, Valencia-Hernandez HA, Ruiz-Mori E et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Diagnostic and prognostic parameters for immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis: A meta-analysis.
This meta-analysis pooled data from 29 trials (3568 patients) to evaluate diagnostic and prognostic parameters for immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis (ICI-M). The key finding is that abnormal cardiac MRI (CMR) is present in 63.4% of cases, with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in 65.3%, and that CMR abnormalities (including LGE) show strong diagnostic association. Clinically, it supports CMR—particularly LGE—as a high-yield tool for diagnosing ICI-M and informing 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 ↗
Arrhythmia-related cardiomyopathy and wearable/real-world monitoring
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 the prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy (AIC) in 780 patients treated with a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD), focusing on those with newly diagnosed idiopathic left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF <35%) and concurrent persistent arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation/flutter or >20% ventricular ectopy). The key finding is that AIC is identifiable in this early WCD-treated population and is associated with subsequent recovery patterns when rhythm control is pursued. Scientifically and clinically, it supports using WCD-era early rhythm management to recognize potentially reversible cardiomyopathy rather than assuming fixed cardiomyopathy progression.
Yogarajah J, Dannebaum J, Halim A et al. · Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiometabolic risk and systemic biomarkers (e.g., insulin resistance, ectopic fat, sST2)
Elevated sST2 associates with cardiac involvement and declines after treatment in newly diagnosed patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.
This longitudinal cohort study measured soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) in newly diagnosed and established idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients, including 34 newly diagnosed patients followed over 2 years, 109 established IIM patients, age- and gender-matched healthy controls, and rheumatoid arthritis controls. It found that elevated sST2 was associated with cardiac involvement and that sST2 levels declined after treatment in newly diagnosed patients. The clinical significance is that sST2 may serve as a biomarker for cardiac inflammation/remodeling activity and treatment response in IIM.
Hanna B, Lundberg IE, Ekwall AH et al. · Arthritis research & therapy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Glucose Disposal Rate: A Novel Measure of Insulin Resistance Associated With Myocardial Fibrosis and Incident Heart Failure.
This cohort 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 6,025 MESA participants free of heart failure at exam 2 (2002–2004). Lower eGDR (higher insulin resistance) was assessed against cardiac magnetic resonance imaging measures of left ventricular function and myocardial fibrosis to determine links with future heart failure risk. The scientific significance is that eGDR could provide a practical cardiometabolic risk marker tied to fibrosis-driven heart failure pathways.
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 analysis studied associations between metabolic phenotypes—metabolically healthy nonobese (MHN), metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy nonobese (MUN), and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO)—and cardiac structure plus clinical outcomes using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). Participants (n=22,789; mean age 64.1 years) were followed for a median 5.1 years to relate phenotype categories to imaging-derived cardiac measures and subsequent events. The clinical significance is that combining obesity status with metabolic health may better stratify cardiovascular risk and guide targeted prevention.
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 investigated subclinical origins of cardiometabolic risk in apparently healthy Indian adolescents aged 11–16 years using MRI and other cardiometabolic measurements. The key finding was that hepatic fat measured by 3.0-T MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and body fat (DXA) were associated with cardiometabolic risk factors such as glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid profile, and seated blood pressure, with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor present in 32.5% of participants (full effect details truncated). Scientifically, it suggests that early ectopic fat accumulation may contribute to cardiometabolic risk before overt disease in adolescents.
Hegde SG, Kankara SR, Raj JM et al. · Indian pediatrics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Epidemiology, health services, and causal inference (EHR, trends, MR, ACEs, preterm birth)
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 before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on metrics including stroke incidence, dispensing of secondary prevention medications, and a disability-time proxy (“home-time”) after stroke. It found that linked EHR data can be used to measure stroke care quality across the pandemic period for outcomes not routinely captured in standard audits. The scientific significance is that scalable EHR linkage enables more comprehensive, near-real-time evaluation of stroke service performance and equity.
Farrell J, Nolan J, Lambert R et al. · BMJ open · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 in aortic stenosis (AS) and hypertension (HTN)-related mortality among older adults in the United States using CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death data from 1999–2020. Mortality trends were quantified with crude and age-adjusted mortality rates and modeled with joinpoint regression (APC/AAPC) and ARIMA projections to 2030. These findings are clinically significant for anticipating future AS–HTN burden and identifying demographic-geographic disparities to target prevention and management in older populations.
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 examined how preterm birth affects cardiovascular development from infancy through adulthood, focusing on mechanisms linking preterm exposure (including oxygen dysregulation and procedural stress) to later cardiovascular disease risk. It highlights that even when preterm infants have structurally normal hearts, altered cellular architecture, extracellular matrix remodeling, mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiomyocytes, and immature sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum contribute to increased adult cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The work is significant because it supports heightened long-term cardiovascular surveillance and informs future preventive strategies for individuals born preterm.
Zegelbone P, Young K, Hughes F et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 assessed adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their association with substance use among 849 young adults in universities and colleges in Mombasa County, Kenya. Using self-reported measures of ACE exposure and substance use (alcohol, tobacco products, and illicit drugs), it tested whether ACEs were linked to later substance use behaviors in this higher-education population. The significance is informing prevention and intervention programs by identifying ACEs as potential upstream risk factors for substance use in young adults.
Odero M, Kihoro RW, Mbogo PW et al. · Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Blood cell traits on cardiovascular morpho-functional phenotypes: evidence from Mendelian randomization analysis.
This 2-sample Mendelian randomization study tested causal relationships between 15 blood cell traits and 100 cardiovascular MRI morpho-functional phenotypes. 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 for causal effects of specific blood cell traits on cardiac and aortic structure/function endophenotypes derived from multiple GWAS (full list of significant causal pairs truncated). The scientific significance is that it helps clarify whether hematologic traits causally influence cardiovascular remodeling, informing risk mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
Li M, Zhu H, Shen L et al. · Medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Generated automatically on May 22, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published May 15, 2026 – May 22, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.