What's New in Cardiac MRI? — July 01, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 89 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
July 01, 2026 · 89 articles · 15 research themes · covering June 24, 2026 – July 01, 2026
Overview
Across this week’s set of papers, a dominant theme is the push toward more accurate, mechanism-informed cardiovascular diagnosis and risk prediction using advanced cardiac imaging—especially cardiac MRI (CMR) and PET/CT—paired with better interpretation frameworks. Several studies focus on “hidden” pathology that can be missed when imaging is interpreted generically (e.g., acute ECG-gated thoracic CT revealing cardiac causes in acute aortic syndrome workflows; CMR phenotyping to refine Takotsubo mechanisms; and CMR-guided viability comparisons against PET-CT). In parallel, multiple investigations emphasize tissue characterization and prognostic biomarkers (amyloid strain and ECV; HCM coupling indices and wall-thickness heterogeneity; DCM LACI for reverse remodeling; myocarditis serial CMR; and microvascular obstruction after STEMI), underscoring a shift from single-parameter assessment toward multi-metric, longitudinal, and risk-calibrated imaging.
A second major thread is coronary microvascular/endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory cardiomyopathy as targets for improved testing and management. Work on OS-CMR as a noninvasive alternative to invasive acetylcholine testing, angiographic indices of microcirculatory resistance after STEMI, and ASL-MRI/TTE approaches in diabetic models all point to a growing toolbox for microvascular phenotyping. Meanwhile, reviews and clinical studies on myocarditis/pericarditis and septic cardiomyopathy highlight ongoing efforts to standardize definitions and clarify mechanisms—while IL-1 blockade (anakinra) data suggest that treatment duration and discontinuation timing may matter in MRI-defined inflammatory cardiomyopathy.
Finally, there is strong momentum in imaging engineering and AI: faster or more robust acquisition (low-field CMR, SMS/cDTI acceleration, respiratory training optimization), improved reconstruction (deep-learning 4D flow reconstruction, undersampled cine methods, AI-assisted segmentation/ROI annotation), and automation for scalable interpretation (NLP extraction of EF across modalities; LLM-based diagnostic classification; federated domain-generalization segmentation). Together, these advances aim to make high-quality cardiovascular imaging more accessible, reproducible, and clinically actionable—while also enabling large-scale research through automated quantification and biobank-scale trait discovery.
Cardiac MRI/CT for Acute Cardiac Pathology & Differential Diagnosis
Atypical Case of Takayasu Aortitis Presenting as Embolic Stroke With Concomitant Massive Thoracic Artery Aneurysm.
This case report described a 44-year-old woman with hypertension who presented with embolic stroke symptoms and was found to have a massive thoracic aortic aneurysm with Takayasu aortitis. The key finding was that surgical repair with a Dacron graft was performed and pathology showed granulomatous inflammation consistent with an autoimmune or infectious etiology. This is clinically important because it highlights that Takayasu aortitis can present atypically with embolic stroke and large thoracic aneurysms, requiring prompt surgical and diagnostic evaluation.
Henson JC, Myers JH, Cummins M et al. · Clinical case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A Case of Brugada Syndrome… or Something Else? Behind Type 1 Brugada Pattern.
This case report evaluated a 51-year-old man with syncope during febrile illness who had a transient spontaneous type-1 Brugada ECG pattern. The key finding was that Holter monitoring demonstrated multifocal ventricular ectopy including non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT), prompting consideration of an alternative diagnosis when overt myocardial scar/arrhythmogenic substrate is absent or atypical. This is significant because it underscores the need to look beyond classic Brugada syndrome when clinical rhythm findings and imaging/structural context do not fully fit.
Scarà A, Borrelli A, Romano S et al. · Clinical case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI Identifies Subclinical Myocardial Tissue Abnormalities in Individuals With Hepatitis C Regardless of Myocardial Damage Markers or Fibrosis Stage.
The study used 3T cardiac MRI to measure myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) fraction in 10 untreated individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and compared results with age-matched healthy volunteers. The key finding was that HCV-infected participants had significantly higher ECV fraction than controls (0.30 vs 0.26) regardless of myocardial damage markers, hypertension, smoking pack-years, or fibrosis stage. This suggests early extrahepatic myocardial tissue abnormalities in untreated HCV, supporting early antiviral treatment to reduce downstream cardiovascular risk.
D’Amore A, Sirajuddin A, George N et al. · Journal of viral hepatitis · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Diagnosis of cardiac pathology on acute electrocardiographic-gated thoracic computed tomography: guidance for the general radiologist.
This study examined how electrocardiographic-gated thoracic CT angiography datasets can be used to diagnose acute cardiac pathology in patients undergoing acute aortic syndrome–focused imaging. The key finding was that the same gated CT dataset can reveal potentially life-threatening cardiac causes (e.g., coronary atheromatous disease and consequences) that are often overlooked or misinterpreted by general radiologists. Clinically, the work supports targeted interpretive guidance to reduce diagnostic error and improve detection of cardiac pathology on acute ECG-gated thoracic CT.
Manghat NE, Greco F, Harries I et al. · Clinical radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Intentional self-harm mortality among 15-24 year olds in Asian American subgroups, 2005-2022: a population-based incidence study.
This population-based incidence study examined intentional self-harm mortality among U.S. youth aged 15–24 years across six Asian American subgroups from 2005–2022 using National Center for Health Statistics mortality data linked to American Community Survey denominators. The key finding was that suicide mortality rates differed by Asian subgroup, with subgroup-specific annualized mortality rates and rate ratios compared against non-Hispanic White and Asian youth overall. Public-health significance: the results improve surveillance granularity and can inform targeted prevention strategies for specific Asian American youth communities.
Uy LA, Chang E, Desai S et al. · Lancet regional health. Americas · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Fetal MRI for cardiopulmonary anomalies: what the pediatric cardiologist and surgeon need to know.
This review studied how fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) can be integrated with expert fetal echocardiography for prenatal evaluation of complex cardiopulmonary anomalies in fetuses. It found that fetal CMR provides high-resolution, multiplanar, wide field-of-view imaging with superior soft-tissue contrast that can add diagnostic or prognostic information when echocardiography is limited by technical/physiologic factors. The clinical significance is improved counseling, delivery planning, and postnatal management for pediatric cardiologists and surgeons by using fetal CMR as an evidence-based adjunct.
Dadoun SE, Mokha S, Kooraki S et al. · Current opinion in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Interpersonal Relationship, Academic Performance, & Life Skills: A Comparative Study of Children With and Without Emotional and Behavioral Problems.
This comparative cross-sectional study examined 120 children aged 6–14 years from West Bengal with and without emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) using standardized behavioral and functional scales. Children with EBPs scored significantly lower on interpersonal relationships and life skills compared with children without EBPs. The significance is that EBPs are measurable and clinically relevant correlates of social functioning and daily-life competencies, supporting early identification and intervention.
Kheto P, Pallerla S, Bhattacharjee K et al. · Clinical child psychology and psychiatry · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
A Stepwise Multimodality Imaging Approach to Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Cystic Fibrosis.
This case report studied a 25-year-old man with cystic fibrosis who suffered out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) during a pulmonary exacerbation complicated by hemoptysis and hypoxemia. After resuscitation, multimodality evaluation (ECG, high-sensitivity troponin, transthoracic echocardiography) showed ischemia-like findings despite the absence of ST-segment elevation, illustrating a diagnostic pathway for non–ST-elevation OHCA in a young patient. The significance is that a stepwise imaging approach can help identify cardiac causes in complex CF presentations where atherosclerotic disease is unlikely.
Frittella S, Iuvara G, Angeli F et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Construction and modification of a low-copy plasmid-based infectious clone for GI-19 genotype IBV via Red/ET recombineering: A simplified and efficient reverse genetics system for coronavirus.
This study constructed and modified a low-copy plasmid-based infectious clone for avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) GI-19 genotype using Red/ET recombineering as a reverse genetics system. It found that combining low-copy plasmids with RecE/RecT-mediated recombination plus positive/counter-selection enabled streamlined genome cDNA assembly, precise genetic modification, and rapid screening of recombinant viruses. The significance is a simplified, efficient platform for generating and studying IBV mutants, accelerating coronavirus reverse genetics research in poultry.
Feng K, Li Y, Song C et al. · Poultry science · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Sex-based differences in mitral and tricuspid valve disease in the era of transcatheter therapies: a contemporary review.
This contemporary review examined sex-based differences in mitral and tricuspid valve disease across epidemiology, pathophysiology, imaging assessment, and management in the era of transcatheter therapies. It summarizes evidence that women and men differ in prevalence/presentation and in how these differences affect diagnostic evaluation and procedural outcomes for transcatheter mitral and tricuspid interventions. Clinically, the review highlights the need to incorporate sex-specific considerations into imaging interpretation and procedural planning for valvular heart disease.
Oletu H, Irivbogbe OA, Akhtar Y · Current problems in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Improved Myocardial Sodium Quantification at 7 T Using Interleaved 23Na/1H pTx MRI With Motion and Anatomy-Based B1 Correction.
This 7T cardiac MRI methods study investigated improved myocardial 23Na quantification by using an interleaved 23Na/1H parallel-transmit (pTx) MRI approach with retrospective respiratory/cardiac motion correction and a novel anatomy-based B1 bias-field correction. By deriving myocardium and blood-pool segmentation from 1H data using nnUNet and estimating B1 transmit/receive bias from 1H-derived segmentations and synthetic 23Na images, the technique improved accuracy and repeatability of myocardial sodium measurements. Scientifically, it advances more reliable 23Na quantification at ultra-high field, which is important for noninvasive assessment of myocardial metabolism and injury.
Ruck L, Egger N, Zobler B et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Systemic inflammation, myocardial fibrosis, and subclinical cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV.
This cross-sectional pilot study in matched veterans with and without HIV investigated whether systemic inflammation is associated with myocardial fibrosis and subclinical cardiovascular disease using blood inflammatory markers plus echocardiography and cardiac MRI (along with coronary calcium scoring and stress testing). It found relationships linking HIV-associated systemic inflammation to markers of myocardial fibrosis and early, subclinical cardiac disease. These findings suggest that inflammation-driven fibrotic remodeling may be a key pathway for accelerated cardiovascular aging in people living with HIV.
Simkevich M, Chen YY, Parent M et al. · American heart journal · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Bright Ferritin for Non-Invasive MRI Monitoring of the Fate of Transplanted hPSC-Cardiomyocytes in the Infarcted Rat Heart.
This preclinical 3T cardiac MRI study evaluated whether “bright ferritin” MRI can noninvasively monitor the fate of transplanted human pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) in an infarcted rat heart. Ferritin-overexpressing hPSCs were differentiated into cardiomyocytes in vitro, and in immunodeficient rats the transplanted cells were tracked longitudinally over 8 weeks in both healthy and infarcted myocardium, with MnCl2 used for on-demand recall of the bright ferritin signal. The approach provides a scalable imaging strategy to follow stem-cell engraftment and persistence, supporting development of cell therapies with measurable in vivo endpoints.
Zhuang K, Alibhai FJ, Qiang B et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Comparing contact dermatitis due to tissue adhesives in port-site closure.
This randomized controlled intra-patient trial compared contact dermatitis rates from two tissue adhesives—Dermabond™ (Ethicon; DB) versus LiquiBand® (Advanced Medical Solutions; LB)—in patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery. The study directly tested whether one adhesive had a higher risk of adhesive-associated contact dermatitis. The findings are significant for surgical practice because they can guide adhesive selection to minimize dermatologic complications at port-site closure.
Holihan JL, Wrather AG, Lancaster C et al. · Surgical endoscopy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Association between particulate matter air pollution and subclinical myocardial fibrosis in structurally normal hearts: a CMR-based study.
This CMR-based observational study examined whether long-term particulate matter exposure (PM2.5 and PM10) is associated with subclinical myocardial fibrosis in patients with structurally normal hearts and no late gadolinium enhancement. Using CMR mapping markers of diffuse fibrosis and inflammation, the study tested associations between PM exposure and CMR parameters with multivariable regression. If confirmed, these data would link environmental particulate exposure to early myocardial remodeling detectable before overt structural disease.
Figliozzi S, Filiberti G, Catapano F et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · 3 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Apical Right Ventricular Sequestration with Left Ventricular Hypertrabeculation: Multimodal Imaging Evaluation in an Adolescent.
This adolescent case report used multimodal imaging to evaluate a rare congenital anatomy: apical right ventricular sequestration as a variant of double-chamber right ventricle. In a 14-year-old girl with palpitations, failure to thrive, and recurrent respiratory infections, imaging identified apical sequestration of the right ventricle with a large ventricular septal defect, severe atrioventricular valve regurgitation, and biventricular dysfunction. The report underscores the clinical value of multimodal cardiac imaging to recognize underdiagnosed double-chamber right ventricle variants and guide management.
De la Cruz-Pelayo J, Mélendez-Ramírez G, de la Mora-Cervantes R et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Late diagnosis of late onset Fabry disease.
This case report studied a man with late-onset Fabry disease whose initial presentation was left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) misdiagnosed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, later progressing to decompensated heart failure. Cardiac MRI showed extensive scarring and endomyocardial biopsy showed myocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis, while genetic testing identified a pathogenic variant in the GLA gene encoding α-galactosidase A. The report highlights that in unexplained LVH/cardiomyopathy phenotypes, especially with late presentation, GLA testing can be clinically decisive to avoid delayed Fabry diagnosis and inappropriate labeling such as cardiac amyloidosis.
Scully TG, Chalinor H, Theuerle J · BMJ case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A rare capillary type cardiac hemangioma in the right atrium.
This case report described a rare capillary-type cardiac hemangioma located in the right atrium, focusing on diagnostic characterization using multimodality imaging (echocardiography, CT, and cardiac MRI). The key finding was that advanced imaging helped delineate the lesion and support preoperative diagnostic work-up despite the tumor’s rarity and diagnostic difficulty. The report is significant because it underscores the value of CMR/CT/echo integration for accurate identification of uncommon cardiac tumors that can present with arrhythmia or heart failure.
Ku L, Qiu R, Ma X · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Spatial proximity or vector orientation? Re-evaluating ECG interpretation in anterior myocardial infarction using cardiac magnetic resonance.
This prospective study evaluated how ECG interpretation methods for anterior myocardial infarction (MI)—anatomical lead proximity versus vector/ST-axis orientation—match CMR-defined myocardial injury distribution in 105 patients with anterior MI. The key finding was that one ECG localization approach better aligned with the spatial pattern of injury on late gadolinium enhancement CMR than the other. Scientifically and clinically, re-calibrating ECG interpretation against direct CMR injury mapping could improve infarct localization accuracy and downstream risk assessment.
Aslanger EK, Aggül B, İnan D et al. · Journal of electrocardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Applicability of Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Cardiac Implantable Devices: A Systematic Review.
This systematic review assessed the applicability of stress perfusion cardiac MRI in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) by screening the literature and summarizing evidence from eight included studies. The key finding was an overall characterization of feasibility and constraints—covering image quality, device/scan compatibility and safety, and protocol/exclusion criteria—showing that stress CMR can be performed in selected patients under appropriate protocols. The significance is that it provides practical guidance for expanding stress CMR access while maintaining safety in CIED patients.
Zakavi S, Khorgami MR, Babaee P et al. · Cardiology research and practice · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
From metabolic to pathologic complete response: case report of Neoadjuvant Lorlatinib in Stage IIIB ALK-positive NSCLC combined with uniportal VATS.
This case report studied a 35-year-old non-smoking female with stage IIIB ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated neoadjuvantly with the ALK/ROS1 inhibitor lorlatinib, combined with uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) planning. The key finding was a complete metabolic response on restaging PET-CT after 10 weeks of lorlatinib, enabling a multidisciplinary decision to proceed with surgery. Clinically, it suggests lorlatinib can induce deep metabolic responses in unresectable stage IIIB ALK-positive NSCLC, potentially converting patients to surgical candidates.
Li R, Wang C, Li Y et al. · Journal of cardiothoracic surgery · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Diastolic echocardiographic parameters identify pediatric kidney transplant recipients with structural myocardial alterations.
This study investigated pediatric kidney transplant recipients to determine whether diastolic echocardiographic parameters can identify structural myocardial alterations, using CMR with native T1 mapping as the reference for diffuse myocardial changes. The key finding was that specific diastolic echocardiographic measures were associated with CMR native T1 abnormalities, indicating echocardiography can detect underlying myocardial structural injury in this population. The significance is that echocardiographic screening could help identify pediatric transplant patients at risk for cardiac complications even when CMR native T1 mapping is not routinely available.
von der Born J, Ubenauf TA, Sugianto RI et al. · Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Blunt Trauma-Induced Atrial Fibrillation as First Sign of an Unspecified Cardiac Hemangioendothelioma.
This case report studied a 40-year-old man who developed atrial fibrillation as the first presentation after blunt chest trauma, ultimately diagnosed with an unspecified cardiac hemangioendothelioma. Imaging with transthoracic echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and PET-CT identified a large nonmetastatic right atrial tumor (76×76 mm) obstructing inflow and encasing the right coronary artery, and radical resection with RCA reconstruction was performed. The clinical significance is that it highlights a rare cardiac tumor presenting with trauma-associated atrial fibrillation and demonstrates the diagnostic and surgical pathway using multimodality imaging.
van Dinter S, Maathuis H, Verkroost M et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Experimentally validated dual-band GHz metamaterial perfect absorber biosensor with negative-index response and AI-assisted electromagnetic analysis for breast cancer dielectric discrimination.
This proof-of-concept study developed and experimentally validated a dual-band GHz metamaterial perfect absorber biosensor with negative-index response for breast cancer dielectric discrimination, integrating AI-assisted broadband spectral analysis. The key finding was near-unity absorption at 6.0 GHz and 9.1 GHz with experimentally measured absorption exceeding 92.5% and 99.8% at the resonant frequencies, matching simulations and enabling dielectric-sensitive discrimination. The scientific significance is that it demonstrates a PCB-fabricated, microwave/AI-enabled sensing platform that could support label-free breast cancer characterization based on dielectric properties.
Hamza MN, Islam MT, Koziel S et al. · Biosensors & bioelectronics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Amyloidosis Imaging & Prognosis
Incremental Prognostic Value of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Beyond Biomarker Staging in Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis.
This retrospective multicenter study analyzed 266 transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) patients who underwent cardiac MRI (CMR) to test whether adding CMR parameters to National Amyloidosis Center (NAC) biomarker staging improves prediction of death. The key finding was that CMR provided incremental prognostic value beyond NAC staging in Cox regression models for time to death. This is significant because it supports using CMR-derived measures to better guide evaluation for advanced heart failure therapies and emerging disease-modifying treatments in ATTR-CA.
Chiou T, Minga I, Subashchandran V et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Extracellular Volume Mapping by Cardiac MRI Predicts Sudden Cardiac Death in AL Amyloidosis: A South Asian Cohort Study.
This ambispective South Asian cohort study measured extracellular volume (ECV) by cardiac MRI T1 mapping at diagnosis in 188 patients with AL amyloidosis to assess prediction of sudden cardiac death. The key finding was that abnormal ECV (≥25%) was associated with sudden cardiac death risk compared with normal ECV (<25%), with evaluable ECV available in 22 patients. This is significant because ECV mapping offers a noninvasive prognostic biomarker that could improve risk stratification for sudden death in AL amyloidosis.
Pattnaik SA, Ahamed H, Gutjahr G et al. · Indian journal of hematology & blood transfusion : an official journal of Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
The Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Multi-Chamber Strain Analysis by Cardiac MRI in Amyloidosis.
This retrospective study evaluated multi-chamber myocardial strain measured by cardiac MRI in 47 patients with cardiac amyloidosis, and correlated strain with native T1 mapping and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) using QALE values. The key finding was that multi-chamber strain parameters showed diagnostic and prognostic utility and correlated with amyloid imaging markers (native T1 and LGE/QALE), with follow-up outcomes including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Scientifically and clinically, the results suggest that multi-chamber strain on CMR can improve risk assessment in amyloidosis beyond conventional single-parameter imaging.
Chilkuri SK, Dsouza R, Houbois C et al. · Journal of thoracic imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Risk Stratification & Remodeling Indices
Assessment of left atrioventricular coupling index in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: improving risk stratification with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).
This retrospective CMR study assessed the left atrioventricular coupling index (LACI)—defined as left atrial end-diastolic volume divided by left ventricular end-diastolic volume—in 2,240 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to predict sudden cardiac death (SCD) events. The key finding was that LACI provided prognostic value for SCD and offered incremental risk stratification beyond guideline-based risk models, alongside CMR features such as LGE and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Clinically, incorporating LACI into CMR-based evaluation may refine SCD risk prediction in HCM patients.
Zhang D, Qian Y, Gu Z et al. · Clinical radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Left atrioventricular coupling index and atrial fibrillation and stroke in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a CMR study.
In 287 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients without the specified baseline condition, the study assessed whether the left atrioventricular coupling index (LACI)—an imaging marker combining left atrial size and left ventricular filling properties—predicts new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and thromboembolic events (transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke). Higher LACI was associated with increased risk of AF and related ischemic outcomes in this HCM cohort. This is scientifically and clinically important because LACI may improve AF/thromboembolism risk prediction beyond existing models that perform poorly in HCM.
De Raffele M, Casas G, Delgado V et al. · Revista espanola de cardiologia (English ed.) · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
MRI-derived wall thickness heterogeneity in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in carriers of sarcomeric gene mutations.
This CMR study measured end-diastolic left ventricular wall thickness heterogeneity using wall thickness standard deviation (WTSD) in 297 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients, 82 sarcomeric gene mutation carriers without overt hypertrophy, and 382 healthy controls. WTSD improved identification of HCM and mutation carriers compared with reliance on absolute wall thickness cut-offs, helping detect earlier or subtle phenotypes. The results suggest that CMR-derived heterogeneity metrics can refine diagnosis and phenotyping in sarcomere mutation carriers at risk for HCM.
Aquaro GD, Licordari R, Todiere G et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Dilated Cardiomyopathy & Reverse Remodeling Prediction
Cardiac magnetic resonance-derived atrioventricular coupling index for predicting left ventricular reverse remodeling in dilated cardiomyopathy.
This retrospective study evaluated a cardiac MRI–derived left atrioventricular coupling index (LACI) for predicting left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) in 64 hospitalized patients with dilated cardiomyopathy receiving standardized guideline-directed medical therapy. The key finding was that CMR-derived LACI predicted LVRR and that models incorporating LACI (and separately left atrial strain or left ventricular strain) improved prediction compared with clinical variables alone. Clinically, LACI on CMR could help identify DCM patients most likely to experience reverse remodeling under medical therapy.
Ke J, Zhang C, Wang X et al. · Clinical radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Myocardial Infarction, Viability, Microvascular Obstruction & MINOCA
CMR Reveals the Influence of Trigger and Classification on the Myocardial Tissue Response in Takotsubo Syndrome.
This study used cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) to compare left ventricular function, myocardial edema, and myocardial injury across InterTAK trigger-based classification and between primary versus secondary TTS. The key finding was that CMR tissue responses differed according to both the triggering factor/classification and whether TTS was primary (emotionally primed) versus secondary (driven by direct myocardial injury). These results support a trigger- and mechanism-specific pathophysiology in TTS and suggest CMR phenotyping could refine risk stratification beyond registry staging.
Gotschy A, Cammann VL, Schweiger V et al. · Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Comparison of Cardiac MR with PET CT in Evaluation of Myocardial Viability: Single-Center Experience.
This prospective single-center study compared cardiac MRI (including end-diastolic wall thickness, regional wall motion abnormalities, and late gadolinium enhancement [LGE]) with PET-CT in 28 adult patients with perfusion/metabolism matched or mismatched defects. The key finding was that specific CMR viability metrics could be evaluated against PET-CT as the gold standard for identifying infarcted versus viable myocardium. This is clinically significant because it informs how CMR parameters may substitute for or complement PET-CT in viability assessment for patients with coronary disease.
Arafath MY, Debi U, Singhal M et al. · The Indian journal of radiology & imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Stress native mapping does not distinguish patients with previous myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries from healthy volunteers.
The study compared non-contrast adenosine stress native T1 and T2 (and quantitative perfusion mapping) between patients with previous myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) and normal CMR (n=15) and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers using 1.5T CMR. The key finding was that stress native mapping did not distinguish MINOCA patients from healthy controls. Scientifically, this suggests that native T1/T2 stress mapping may be insufficient for detecting coronary microvascular dysfunction in this specific MINOCA subgroup.
Andersson DF, Johansson RS, Tornvall P et al. · Clinical physiology and functional imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Impact of Microvascular Obstruction on Left Atrial and Ventricular Myocardial Deformation and In-hospital Complications in Reperfused ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients.
This retrospective study investigated how microvascular obstruction (MVO) affects left atrial and ventricular myocardial deformation and in-hospital complications in 95 reperfused ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) within 7 days. It found that MVO—defined on late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) as a hypo-enhanced core surrounded by hyper-enhanced myocardium—was associated with worse myocardial deformation metrics and higher in-hospital complication burden compared with patients without MVO. The significance is that CMR-detected MVO provides prognostically relevant information beyond reperfusion status, potentially improving risk stratification early after STEMI.
Cau R, Pinna A, Bassareo PP et al. · Journal of thoracic imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Can resting segmental strain identify obstructive coronary artery disease in chronic coronary syndrome patients referred to CABG?
This retrospective study evaluated whether resting segmental systolic strain on echocardiography can identify obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in chronic coronary syndrome patients referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), comparing tissue Doppler imaging strain with two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. The key finding was the diagnostic performance of resting segmental strain for detecting obstructive multivessel/left main CAD in this CABG-referred cohort. If validated, resting strain imaging could improve noninvasive triage of CCS patients toward revascularization by flagging those likely to have obstructive CAD.
Rösner A, Kjønås D, Sandberg ML et al. · Cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Troponin release, myocardial function and inflammation in patients with takotsubo syndrome: a cardiac magnetic resonance study.
This cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) study investigated relationships among cardiac troponin T release, myocardial edema measured by CMR T2 mapping, and systemic inflammatory biomarkers in 94 patients with takotsubo syndrome (TTS), stratified by a high-sensitivity troponin T peak cut-off (≥28.8× ULN vs <28.8× ULN). The study found specific associations between troponin release and CMR evidence of myocardial edema and inflammation, linking biochemical injury markers to imaging-defined tissue changes. These findings support a more mechanistic interpretation of myocardial injury in TTS and may help refine risk stratification using combined troponin and CMR inflammatory/edema signals.
Arcari L, Camastra G, Ciolina F et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Myocarditis/Pericarditis: Imaging, Guidelines, and Inflammatory Mechanisms
Septic cardiomyopathy: Fact or fiction?
This article reviewed septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) in the context of sepsis, contrasting it with other acute cardiomyopathies such as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and myocarditis. The key finding is that SCM is a dynamic, potentially reversible myocardial dysfunction driven by inflammatory, metabolic, endothelial, and microvascular mechanisms, but it remains poorly defined due to lack of standardized diagnostic criteria and overlap with other conditions. Scientifically and clinically, clarifying SCM definitions and diagnostic approaches could improve recognition and treatment decisions during sepsis.
Naimi A, Rodriguez M, Qadeer YK et al. · American heart journal plus : cardiology research and practice · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A case report of nonrheumatic myocarditis following group G streptococcus pharyngitis.
This case report studied a 22-year-old man who developed nonrheumatic myocarditis after group G streptococcal pharyngitis. Cardiac MRI showed focal myocardial hyperintensity on T2-weighted imaging with corresponding elevated T2 values, supporting myocarditis after the bacterial infection. The significance is that it documents a rare post-bacterial (group G streptococcus) myocarditis presentation and highlights cardiac MRI findings that can guide diagnosis and management.
Perkins SJ, Lim JGS, Gans C et al. · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Myocarditis and pericarditis in focus: A critical appraisal of the 2025 ESC vs ACC position statements from the Italian society of cardiology working group on cardiomyopathies and pericardial diseases.
This critical appraisal compared the 2025 ESC and 2024–2025 ACC position statements for myocarditis and pericarditis, focusing on diagnostic and classification frameworks and how cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is used in stable acute myocarditis. Both statements converge on early, accurate diagnosis with CMR often superseding immediate biopsy, but they differ in how they structure syndromic classification (ESC’s unified inflammatory myopericardial syndrome vs ACC’s separate pathways including a four-stage myocarditis classification). The review is clinically significant because it clarifies how guideline differences may affect diagnosis, risk stratification, and management pathways for myocarditis/pericarditis in practice.
Imazio M, Collini V, Merlo M et al. · Trends in cardiovascular medicine · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Splenic tissue alterations in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: determinants and prognostic implications.
This retrospective CMR study evaluated determinants of splenic native T1 patterns and extracellular volume (ECV) in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention within 10 days. Splenic T1/ECV alterations were assessed alongside infarction patterns and myocardial function to determine their association with adverse outcomes. These findings support a clinically relevant cardio-splenic inflammatory axis in early post-STEMI risk stratification using CMR-derived splenic tissue metrics.
Yin TX, Zhu GJ, Gu XY et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Management of pericarditis: recent advances.
This narrative review summarized recent, mechanism-based and risk-stratified management strategies for pericarditis, emphasizing the growing role of multimodality imaging including cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). It highlighted that diagnosis remains clinical but that inflammatory biomarkers and imaging can improve diagnostic confidence, differential diagnosis, and therapeutic decisions. The review supports more targeted, imaging-supported treatment pathways rather than purely empirical anti-inflammatory management.
Imazio M · Polish archives of internal medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Time-dependent effects of interleukin-1 blockade by anakinra in myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy.
This observational study evaluated time-dependent outcomes of interleukin-1 (IL-1) blockade with anakinra in 42 consecutive patients with definite myocarditis or inflammatory cardiomyopathy (Infl-CMP), diagnosed by cardiac MRI with or without endomyocardial biopsy. The key finding was that clinical outcomes varied according to treatment exposure and discontinuation over time in this IL-1–targeted population. The significance is that it helps define how long anakinra may need to be continued (and what happens after stopping) to optimize inflammatory cardiomyopathy management.
Peretto G, Villatore A, Trezza AF et al. · European journal of heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac Sarcoidosis: PET/CMR Integration
FDG PET for cardiac sarcoidosis: Protocol optimization, quantification, pitfalls, and multimodality imaging integration.
This 2026 review studied the role of FDG PET in cardiac sarcoidosis, focusing on protocol optimization, quantification approaches, common pitfalls, and how PET integrates with multimodality imaging (echocardiography and cardiac MRI). The key finding was that PET performance depends strongly on dietary preparation and technique, and that structured multimodality interpretation improves diagnostic accuracy and management decisions in the heterogeneous cardiac sarcoidosis population. Scientifically, the article consolidates practical nuclear cardiology guidance to reduce false results and better align PET findings with CMR/echo.
Wopperer SB, Kronzer E, Ivare J et al. · Seminars in nuclear medicine · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Prognostic impact of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance-proven cardiac involvement in pulmonary sarcoidosis: a single centre long-term cohort study.
This single-centre long-term cohort study assessed prognostic impact in pulmonary sarcoidosis patients with cardiac involvement confirmed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Among histologically confirmed pulmonary sarcoidosis cases, cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) identified by FDG-PET and CMR was evaluated for associations with clinical course and causes of death. The study supports using combined FDG-PET and CMR to better predict outcomes in pulmonary sarcoidosis with suspected or confirmed cardiac involvement.
Yoshikawa S, Sato T, Komori T et al. · BMC pulmonary medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Heart Failure Phenotyping (HFpEF/HF Risk Biomarkers)
Analysis of cardiac magnetic resonance characteristics in patients with ejection fraction preserved heart failure.
This study used cardiac MRI to quantify epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and relate it to left ventricular function and prognosis in 117 HFpEF patients, with comparisons to 65 healthy controls and 62 high-risk individuals, followed by a larger follow-up cohort (n=228). The key finding was that EAT volume measured by CMR was associated with left ventricular strain/function and predicted clinical outcomes such as heart failure readmission or all-cause death. Clinically, CMR-derived EAT may serve as a prognostic biomarker to help stratify HFpEF risk.
Zhang Y, Li Y, Yang X et al. · Clinical radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Incremental Prognostic Value of Pericardial Adipose Tissue Radiomic Phenotype Based on Cardiac MRI in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease.
This retrospective multi-center study evaluated whether pericardial adipose tissue (PEAT) radiomic phenotypes derived from cardiac MRI add prognostic value for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in 248 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. It found that PEAT radiomics features were associated with MACE risk and provided incremental prognostic value beyond PEAT volume alone, using 3.0 T cine imaging and T2/T2* mapping-derived radiomic inputs. The significance is improved risk stratification for ESRD patients by using noninvasive cardiac MRI radiomics of PEAT to predict future cardiovascular events.
Zhang TY, Liu Y, Chen SZ et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cine-derived mitral annular relaxation velocity for detection of preclinical left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.
This substudy of the PARABLE trial studied 236 patients at risk for preclinical heart failure with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction criteria and 25 matched controls, using cine-derived mitral annular relaxation velocity (CMR-MARV) at four mitral annular anchor points. The key finding was that CMR-MARV (CMR e-prime) differentiated groups meeting ALVDD criteria and showed diagnostic accuracy for detecting preclinical LV diastolic dysfunction, with additional assessment of diastolic strain rates from feature tracking (FT). The significance is that it provides a potentially practical CMR biomarker for earlier detection of diastolic dysfunction before overt clinical heart failure.
McVeigh N, Ryan D, Ryan F et al. · Magnetic resonance imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction & Endothelial Function Testing
Detection of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction in Diabetic Mice Using Arterial Spin Labeling Cardiac MRI: A Multimodality Imaging Comparison.
This multimodality prospective animal study compared arterial spin labeling cardiac MRI (ASL-MRI) with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for detecting coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) in type 1 and type 2 diabetic mouse models (T1DM and T2DM, including early-stage 8-week T2DM) and related imaging indices to histology. ASL-MRI and TTE showed differential performance for CMD detection across diabetic phenotypes, and functional imaging measures aligned with histological microvascular injury and myocardial remodeling. The work supports ASL-MRI as a noninvasive, mechanistically informative tool for CMD assessment in diabetes research, enabling better translation of microvascular endpoints.
Miao Q, Shi Y, Li B et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Prognostic implications of coronary microvascular dysfunction in STEMI with and without metabolic syndrome.
This multicenter prospective study evaluated whether coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), quantified angiographically by the index of microcirculatory resistance, predicts cardiovascular outcomes after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in patients with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS). CMD had prognostic implications for adverse cardiovascular events, with effects considered in stratified analyses by MetS status. The results are significant because they support using angiography-derived CMD measures to refine post-STEMI risk assessment, particularly in metabolically high-risk patients.
Guo Q, Guo Y, Shi S et al. · Revista espanola de cardiologia (English ed.) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Oxygenation-sensitive cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging to identify coronary microvascular and vasomotor dysfunction in angina and no obstructive coronary artery disease.
This prospective single-center study compared oxygenation-sensitive cardiovascular magnetic resonance (OS-CMR), a non-invasive test for endothelial-dependent coronary microvascular and vasomotor dysfunction (CMVD), against clinically performed gold-standard invasive coronary function testing (ICFT) using intracoronary acetylcholine in ANOCA patients with endothelial-dependent CMVD and healthy controls. OS-CMR performance was evaluated for identifying CMVD relative to ICFT results, establishing its diagnostic utility. The work is important because it could provide a needle-free alternative to invasive acetylcholine-based testing for diagnosing endothelium-dependent coronary dysfunction.
Hillier E, Palmer C, Lindsay K et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac Mechanics & Strain/Deformation Biomarkers (General)
Evaluation of new vectorcardiography algorithms for identifying left ventricular hypertrophy and impaired systolic function.
This prospective diagnostic study evaluated new vectorcardiography (VCG) algorithms for identifying left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and impaired systolic function, using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) as the reference standard. The key finding was that VCG could detect impaired systolic function and LVH with diagnostic performance that was benchmarked against CMR, addressing limitations of routine ECG for subtle structural disease. Clinically, improved VCG algorithms may support scalable, lower-cost screening for LVH and early systolic dysfunction.
Salatzki J, Schwarz AK, Wolfsteller S et al. · Journal of electrocardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Correlation across modalities and clinical phenotypes between left Ventricular global longitudinal strain by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated cross-modality agreement for left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) versus cardiac MRI feature tracking (CMR-FT) in the same cohorts. Across included studies, the pooled patient-level correlations (Pearson r) between STE and CMR-FT LV-GLS were quantified overall and in subgroups of healthy versus cardiovascular disease cohorts. The results clarify how consistently STE and CMR-FT can be used interchangeably (or not) for LV-GLS assessment across clinical phenotypes.
Pascalis L, Fazzini L, Pugliesi GM et al. · Current problems in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Evaluation of the systemic right ventricle in transposition of the great arteries using fast strain encoded cardiovascular magnetic resonance.
This prospective single-center study evaluated global and regional systolic function in patients with a systemic right ventricle (SRV) due to transposition of the great arteries after Senning/Mustard repair (TGA) or congenitally corrected TGA (ccTGA) using fast strain-encoded cardiovascular magnetic resonance (fSENC). The key finding was that fSENC provided measurable assessment of SRV function, supporting its use for detecting systolic impairment in this high-risk population. The significance is that it advances more sensitive CMR-based evaluation of SRV performance, which may improve risk stratification and monitoring after TGA repair.
Haney AC, Ochs A, Darino J et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Hemodynamics & Computational Modeling (4D Flow/CFD)
Computational modeling of left ventricular flow using PC-CMR-derived four-dimensional wall motion.
The study developed individualized left-ventricular (LV) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models by integrating two MRI modalities with moving-wall motion derived from PC-CMR (phase-contrast CMR) in order to simulate LV intracardiac blood flow. The key finding (from the proposed framework) is that PC-CMR-derived 4D wall motion can be used to drive feasible, personalized LV flow simulations without requiring fully coupled fluid–solid modeling of the myocardium. This imaging-driven CFD approach could enable patient-specific characterization of LV hemodynamics for improved understanding and management of cardiac and valvular disease.
Peighambari SB, Mukherjee T, Mendiola EA et al. · International journal of engineering science · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
In vivo evidence of blood flow slippage: failure of the no-slip boundary condition assumption.
Seven healthy adult volunteers underwent 4D flow CMR of the descending thoracic aorta, and near-wall blood velocities and wall shear stress were quantified using Navier–Stokes fluid modeling with a data assimilation framework. The key finding was in vivo evidence of “blood flow slippage,” with tangential wall velocities estimated at approximately 30–80% of the values implied by the no-slip boundary condition assumption. This challenges a foundational cardiovascular fluid dynamics assumption and may improve the accuracy of CFD-based hemodynamic biomarkers derived from imaging.
Jarolímová A, Hron J, Tůma K et al. · American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Apical hypercontractility mitigates impaired diastolic filling and lower intraventricular haemodynamic forces in human bed rest.
This human physiology study used serial cardiac magnetic resonance during 60 days of strict head-down tilt bed rest (AGBRESA) in 24 healthy participants to test whether apical hypercontractility mitigates impaired diastolic filling and lower intraventricular hemodynamic forces. Longitudinal CMR measurements of regional contractility and intracardiac hemodynamic forces showed that apical hypercontractility can counterbalance diastolic impairment and reduced intraventricular forces during inactivity. These findings clarify early cardiac adaptation mechanisms to physical inactivity and may inform monitoring strategies before overt diastolic dysfunction develops.
Rabineau J, Al-Darwish F, Mulder E et al. · Experimental physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Feasibility of real-time in-magnet exercise cardiovascular MRI with an individualized exercise protocol: Quantitative assessment at low, intermediate, and high exercise intensities.
This study evaluated the feasibility of real-time in-magnet exercise cardiovascular MRI using an individualized supine protocol in healthy volunteers and patient volunteers with dyspnea on exertion (DO). The key finding was that using age-predicted maximal heart rate (APMHR%) and Borg RPE enabled attainment of higher exercise intensities while maintaining image quality suitable for quantitative analysis. This is significant because it advances practical ExCMR implementation by enabling symptom- or fatigue-limited peak imaging within the MRI environment.
Crabtree CD, Stoner J, Chandrasekaran PS et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Digital Twin Guided Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation: Design and Rationale of the APOLO-VT Trial.
This article describes the design and rationale of the APOLO-VT trial, which studies digital twin–guided ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation by integrating noninvasive ECG imaging (ECGi) with invasive electroanatomic mapping (EAM). The key finding (design-level) is that APOLO-VT will test feasibility, safety, and clinical impact of a multimodal workflow that uses structural/functional substrate characterization from ECGi to guide VT targeting and verification during ablation. The significance is that it aims to improve durable elimination of slow-conduction VT substrates by making multimodal mapping workflow-ready for clinical use.
Bhagirath P, Regany M, Borràs R et al. · Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac Imaging AI/ML, Automation, and Reconstruction Methods
Leveraging natural language processing artificial intelligence for automated data extraction of ejection fraction and strain from cardiovascular imaging reports.
This retrospective observational study applied natural language processing (NLP) to extract ejection fraction (EF) and related cardiac imaging parameters from free-text cardiovascular imaging reports across multiple modalities (echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and CMR) in more than 4000 cancer survivors at a large academic medical center with EHR data from 2000–2020. The key finding was that NLP was feasible for automated, longitudinal extraction of EF and related measurements across modalities over the 20-year period. This is significant for scalable cardio-oncology surveillance and research, enabling large-scale outcomes analyses without manual chart abstraction.
Brown SA, BagheriMohamadiPour M, Sparapani R et al. · American heart journal plus : cardiology research and practice · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Simultaneous multi-slice Cardiac Diffusion Tensor Imaging with variable CAIPIRINHA shifts and artefact-aware AI.
This work studied simultaneous multi-slice cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) using a variable CAIPIRINHA acquisition scheme combined with an artefact-aware AI reconstruction (ORCAS) to reduce acquisition time while maintaining image quality. The key finding was that ORCAS mitigated inter-slice leakage artefacts across repetitions by decohering SMS artefacts and improved reconstruction robustness despite lower SNR constraints. Scientifically, the approach enables faster in-vivo myocardial microstructure imaging with cDTI, potentially making cDTI more practical for clinical research.
Tänzer M, Lim EJ, Qiu HH et al. · Medical image analysis · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
FedSemiDG: Domain generalized federated semi-supervised medical image segmentation.
This paper studied domain generalized federated semi-supervised learning (FedSemiDG) for medical image segmentation across multiple centers, addressing domain shift in federated semi-supervised settings. It found that explicitly targeting domain generalization during federated semi-supervised training improves aggregation and the effective use of unlabeled data for better performance on unseen domains. The significance is more robust segmentation models that can generalize beyond the training centers without sharing raw patient data.
Deng Z, Xu Z, Isshiki T et al. · Medical image analysis · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Large Language Models for Cardiac MRI Diagnosis Based on Standardized Text Descriptions.
This retrospective study evaluated large language models (LLMs) for cardiac MRI diagnosis using standardized text descriptions in a multi-disease population. The key finding was that LLM-based interpretation of standardized descriptions can support cardiac MRI diagnostic classification across conditions including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertensive heart disease, ischemic cardiomyopathy, constrictive pericarditis, cardiac amyloidosis, myocarditis, and normal controls. The significance is potential decision-support for less experienced centers by translating structured cardiac MRI information into diagnostic outputs.
Zhang H, Zhou J, Zhang C et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
FlowVN Trained on a Single Dataset Enables Rapid Reconstruction of Highly Accelerated 4D Flow MRI Across Multiple Sites.
The study evaluated a deep variational network (FlowVN) for reconstructing heavily undersampled 4D flow MRI in healthy volunteers and patients across multiple sites, using training on fully sampled single-site data and testing on retrospective and prospective undersampled datasets (R=6–22 and R=12.4–13.8) including aortic stenosis patients. FlowVN enabled rapid reconstruction with improved quantitative velocity/flow metrics (e.g., nRMSE and relative/angular error) across sites despite substantial acceleration. This supports multi-site generalizable deep-learning reconstruction for 4D flow MRI, potentially enabling faster, more widely deployable hemodynamic assessment in clinical cardiovascular imaging.
Qazi SA, Bianchessi T, Viola F et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Clinical Evaluation of A-LIKNet: Deep Learning-accelerated Single-breath-hold CINE Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Cardiac Function Assessment.
This single-center study evaluated A-LIKNet, a deep learning model (attention-incorporated network for sharing low-rank, image, and k-space information), for reconstructing accelerated single-breath-hold 2D cardiac cine MRI at 8×, 16×, and 24× in 42 subjects. A-LIKNet-reconstructed cine images showed diagnostic accuracy and quantitative agreement for biventricular volumes and function compared with standard multi-breath-hold acquisitions. Clinically, this could reduce scan time and improve patient comfort while preserving quantitative cardiac function assessment.
Kübler J, Chekan S, Xu S et al. · Investigative radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Scalable Left Ventricular ROI Annotation for Stress Perfusion Cardiac MRI using Deep Learning with Visual Refinement.
This methodological study developed a deep learning framework for scalable left ventricular (LV) region-of-interest (ROI) annotation in stress perfusion cardiac MRI using a U-Net pretrained on the Multi-Centre, Multi-Vendor, and Multi-Disease (M&Ms) cine CMR dataset. The approach targets low signal-to-noise ratio and motion artifacts by generating initial LV localization for downstream analysis in low-SNR stress perfusion CMR. This improves preprocessing efficiency and accuracy for automated stress perfusion CMR pipelines, enabling more scalable AI-based cardiac assessment.
Kalashami MP, Elshibly M, Shergill S et al. · Journal of imaging informatics in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Photon-counting detector CT in cardiovascular imaging: technical advances, clinical applications, and future perspectives.
This narrative review studied photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) by synthesizing technical advances and evidence for cardiovascular clinical applications, including coronary artery disease and congenital heart disease, across literature from January 2015 to March 2025. The key finding was that PCD-CT offers improved spectral/energy discrimination and potential dose/contrast advantages, while current limitations (e.g., availability, performance constraints, and workflow considerations) remain important. The review’s significance is to guide researchers and clinicians on where PCD-CT is most promising now and what technical gaps must be addressed for broader cardiovascular adoption.
Hong Z, Yao B, Wu H · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Deep learning and red deer optimiser for automatic cardiovascular disease identification on magnetic resonance images.
This study developed an automated cardiovascular disease detection framework (ACVD-RDODL) using deep learning combined with the Red Deer Optimiser (RDO) to analyze cardiovascular MRI images after Wiener Filtering (WF) and Dynamic Histogram Equalization (DHE). The key finding was that the proposed DL+RDO pipeline improved automatic identification of cardiovascular anomalies by learning intricate image patterns from enhanced MRI data. This is significant because it supports more scalable, noninvasive CVD screening from MRI using an optimization-enhanced deep learning workflow.
Singh A, Agarwal H, Singh AP et al. · Scientific reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiovascular Imaging Quantification Physics & Sequence Optimization
A Comparison of Tissue Property Values Estimated Using Conventional Cardiac MRF and MT-Cardiac MRF.
This work evaluated cardiac magnetic resonance fingerprinting (cMRF) with explicit magnetization transfer (MT) modeling in 14 healthy subjects to determine how MT-aware reconstruction affects T1 and T2 quantification. The key finding was that incorporating MT into the cMRF dictionary enabled more accurate estimation of free-water pool T1f/T2f and bound pool fraction (BPF) compared with conventional cMRF that ignores MT processes. This is clinically significant because MT-aware cMRF may improve quantitative myocardial tissue characterization, particularly in settings where bound/free water contributions and MT effects bias conventional T1/T2 mapping.
Kaplan S, Liu Z, Hamilton J et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
The importance of spatial resolution in detecting chronic myocardial iron remnants following hemorrhagic myocardial infarction with T2* MRI.
This study investigated how spatial resolution affects detection of chronic myocardial iron remnants after hemorrhagic myocardial infarction (hMI) using T2* cardiac MRI, combining digital phantom simulations and ex vivo analyses of 8-week hMI in 10 ex vivo swine hearts. The key finding was that smaller voxel sizes and thinner slices improved the ability to detect iron deposits across varying signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions. This is scientifically and clinically significant because it provides practical imaging-resolution guidance to optimize T2* MRI for identifying chronic iron from hMI, which is linked to worse outcomes.
Zhang X, Yang HJ, Dharmakumar R · Biomedical physics & engineering express · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Sustainable Low-Field Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in Changing Healthcare Systems-An Update.
This narrative update reviewed the state of sustainable low-field cardiovascular magnetic resonance (LF CMR), especially around 0.55 Tesla, in the context of healthcare systems with limited resources. The key finding is that optimized LF hardware (e.g., gradient coils and radiofrequency systems) and AI-driven reconstruction can maintain strong diagnostic performance despite lower signal-to-noise ratios. Scientifically and operationally, LF CMR could expand access to CMR diagnostics in low- and middle-income countries and other constrained healthcare settings.
Umair M, Marey A, Murali S et al. · NMR in biomedicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Optimizing Cine Cardiac MRI: Technical Advances and Clinical Applications.
This article studied technical optimization of cine cardiac MRI in the context of clinical cardiac function assessment, focusing on pulse-sequence parameter tuning (TR, TE, flip angle, bandwidth) for balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) at higher field strengths (≥3 T). It found that adjusting these parameters can improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and temporal resolution, while off-resonance effects, SAR constraints, and susceptibility artifacts—especially at 3 T and above—limit bSSFP performance. The significance is that these engineering tradeoffs can be leveraged to improve cine MRI image quality and reliability for broader clinical applications.
Dehghani S, Rajabi A, Rahmati A et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Enhanced 2D Spiral Cine DENSE MRI Using Low-Rank Denoising for Improved Apparent Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Spatial Resolution, Efficiency, Accuracy, and Accessibility.
This study developed an enhanced low-rank denoising method for 2D spiral cine displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) MRI to improve apparent signal-to-noise ratio, spatial resolution, efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility by implementing DENSE at 0.55 T. Using multidimensional spiral cine DENSE data with empirical noise estimation via Monte Carlo simulation and automatic noise suppression, the authors compared performance in 36 subjects (healthy and heart disease) and acquired higher-resolution DENSE in a subset of healthy volunteers. The technique improves the practicality of DENSE for cardiac strain/displacement quantification, potentially broadening availability of advanced myocardial mechanics imaging.
Shih SF, Wu Y, Li S et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Feasibility of Implicit Neural Representation Learned Motion Compensation for 3D Stack-of-Spirals Free-Breathing Cardiac Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping.
This feasibility study tested a free-breathing cardiac quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) approach using spiral sampling and implicit neural representation (INR)-based motion compensation to estimate differential blood oxygenation (ΔSO2) noninvasively. By replacing long prospective navigator-gated acquisitions with self-gated stack-of-spirals multi-echo imaging plus deep-learning motion compensation, the method aimed to improve robustness and reduce acquisition time while enabling ΔSO2 quantification. If validated, this could provide a more practical noninvasive alternative to right-heart catheterization for assessing oxygenation-related cardiovascular function.
Li J, Deng A, Li C et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI monitoring in acute myocarditis: predicting outcomes through serial imaging.
This prospective multicenter study assessed whether serial cardiac MRI parameters in patients with MRI-confirmed acute myocarditis (AM) predict major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 5-year follow-up. Patients underwent MRI at baseline (median ~3–10 days after symptom onset), short-term (~36 days), and long-term (~392 days), and changes in mapping-based MRI metrics were evaluated for prognostic significance. The study supports serial CMR as a risk-stratification tool in acute myocarditis by linking temporal tissue changes to long-term outcomes.
Palmisano A, Rancoita PMV, Gatti M et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Reproducibility of cardiac volumetric parameters derived from fully automatically prescribed image planes: a direct comparison to manual planning at 1.5-T and 3-T MRI.
This prospective single-center study compared fully automatically prescribed cardiac MRI (CMR) image planes versus manual planning in 52 healthy volunteers scanned at 1.5 T and 3 T to assess reproducibility of derived volumetric parameters. Automated planning produced volumetric measurements with reproducibility comparable to manual planning across field strengths and scan intervals. The findings suggest that automated CMR plane prescription can reduce time and human error while maintaining reliable volumetric quantification for longitudinal and multi-site studies.
Deyerberg KK, Meinel FG, Watzke LM et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Optimization of Respiratory Training Methods for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
This prospective study examined how different respiratory training and breath-holding methods affect cardiac MRI image quality in 93 patients undergoing cardiac MRI at 3T using sequences including single-shot fast spin-echo, steady-state acquisition, first-pass perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement. The key finding was identification of an optimal respiratory training/breath-hold approach that most effectively reduces respiratory motion artifacts and improves image quality. Clinically, standardizing the best breath-hold training method can increase diagnostic reliability of cardiac MRI, particularly for patients who struggle with breath-holding.
Ma Z, Zhang X, Li G et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardio-Oncology & Cancer Treatment Cardiotoxicity/Surveillance
CAR-T Cell Therapy Versus Salvage Chemotherapy in Relapsed/Refractory DLBCL: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Integrating Radiologic, Laboratory, and Histopathologic Correlates.
This systematic review and meta-analysis compared chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy versus salvage chemotherapy in adult patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL), integrating radiologic, laboratory, and histopathologic correlates. The key finding was an evidence-based comparative assessment of effectiveness across included trials/cohorts, stratified by relevant clinical and biomarker features. This is significant because it helps clinicians choose between CAR-T and salvage chemotherapy in high-risk molecular settings and primary refractory disease.
Elsayed FM, Baban J, Elkholy HY et al. · La Clinica terapeutica · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Of HIV-Positive Plasmablastic Lymphoma - Case Series.
This case series reported outcomes of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in HIV-positive patients with plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) as consolidation at first complete response (CR1) in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The key finding was that ASCT was explored as a feasible consolidation strategy in this previously high-risk population with careful attention to safety and efficacy. This is clinically significant because it supports expanding treatment options for HIV-associated PBL when effective antiretroviral therapy reduces opportunistic infection risk.
Giri Raja Pandiyan VM, Perumal Kalaiyarasi J, Govindarajan DD et al. · Indian journal of hematology & blood transfusion : an official journal of Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
A 12-week Exercise Intervention Among Older Adults With Chronic Coronary Syndrome: Changes and Associations of Movement Behaviors and Cardiovascular Risk Factors.
In 35 older adults with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), a 12-week group-based exercise intervention was assessed for changes in movement behaviors (via 7-day accelerometry), obesity markers, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak), cardiometabolic risk, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and for associations with these outcomes up to 9 months. The key finding was that changes in movement behaviors after the intervention were associated with changes in VO2peak, cardiometabolic risk, and BDNF from baseline to follow-up. Clinically, this supports exercise programs that target daily movement patterns as a strategy to improve functional fitness and cardiometabolic and neurotrophic biomarkers in CCS.
Ullrich A, Bahls M, Voigt L et al. · European journal of sport science · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
CTLA4-Ig + Anti-IL-6/IL-6R Treatment Results in Long-term Allograft Survival and Function in Highly HLA-sensitized Patients.
In highly HLA-sensitized transplant recipients, the study evaluated a combined immunosuppression strategy using CTLA4-Ig (abatacept) plus anti–IL-6/IL-6R therapy as a CNI-sparing approach to reduce rejection risk. The key finding was that this regimen resulted in long-term allograft survival and preserved allograft function in these highly HLA-sensitized patients. This is clinically significant because it offers a potential option for patients who cannot tolerate calcineurin inhibitors due to neuro/nephrotoxicity while minimizing donor-specific antibody rebound and rejection.
Jordan SC, Chandran S, Ammerman N et al. · Transplantation direct · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Atorvastatin and left ventricular strain during anthracycline-based chemotherapy.
The STOP-CA randomized trial studied whether atorvastatin protects lymphoma patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy from reductions in left ventricular (LV) deformation measured by cardiac MRI feature tracking (FT) global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global circumferential strain (GCS). Atorvastatin (vs placebo) attenuated anthracycline-associated declines in GLS and GCS over 12 months, with the primary endpoint defined by a prespecified relative strain reduction threshold. These findings support a potential cardioprotective role for atorvastatin to mitigate early anthracycline cardiotoxicity using clinically feasible CMR strain metrics.
Juhasz V, Quinaglia T, Drobni ZD et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Evaluating the metabolic effects of neoadjuvant treatment in clear cell renal cell carcinoma using hyperpolarized [1-13 C]pyruvate MRI.
This exploratory prospective clinical trial used hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate MRI to assess metabolic response to neoadjuvant treatment in four patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), focusing on early changes in tumor lactate-to-pyruvate ratios. Neoadjuvant therapy produced measurable metabolic changes on hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI that may reflect treatment response earlier than tumor size. The study is important as it supports hyperpolarized 13C-MRI as a potential companion biomarker for early therapeutic efficacy in RCC.
Horvat-Menih I, McLean MA, Birchall J et al. · Abdominal radiology (New York) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Multimodality imaging in the detection and management of coronary and peripheral arterial disease in patients with cancer receiving cardiotoxic antineoplastic treatments: A clinical consensus statement of the ESC Council of Cardio-Oncology and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the ESC.
This ESC Council of Cardio-Oncology and EACVI clinical consensus statement summarized how multimodality cardiovascular imaging should be used to detect and manage coronary and peripheral arterial disease in patients receiving cardiotoxic antineoplastic treatments. It emphasizes that imaging indications generally mirror the general population but must account for cancer-specific pathophysiology and clinical presentation. The consensus is clinically significant because it standardizes imaging strategies to improve baseline risk assessment, early detection, and treatment planning in cardio-oncology care.
Novo G, Lopez-Fernandez T, Delgado V et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
High Intensity Interval Training Versus Moderate Continuous Training in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
This randomized controlled trial studied adults with congenital heart disease to compare 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus moderate continuous training (MCT) versus control, with peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) as the primary outcome. The key finding was the relative effect of HIIT and MCT on improving exercise capacity (change in peak VO2) and related secondary outcomes including cardiac structure/function and quality of life. The significance is that it informs exercise prescription strategies for adult congenital heart disease by testing whether HIIT provides superior functional gains over MCT.
Mao RT, Willner JP, Pylypchuk S et al. · The Canadian journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular Risk Prediction via Genetics/Polygenic Scores & Biomarkers
Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Mortality Risk Among U.S. Veterans Receiving Dialysis With Diabetes.
Using linked national datasets (Veterans Affairs, U.S. Renal Data System, and Medicare), the study examined whether continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use versus non-CGM use was associated with mortality among U.S. veterans receiving dialysis who also had diabetes. The key finding was that CGM use was associated with mortality risk differences compared with non-CGM use (direction and magnitude reported in the full abstract). Clinically, this supports evaluating CGM as a potentially outcome-relevant tool for dysglycemia management in the dialysis population.
Narasaki Y, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Zisman-Ilani Y et al. · Diabetes care · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Polygenic Risk Identifies Older Adults Who May Benefit From Aspirin for the Primary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke.
This post hoc analysis of the ASPREE randomized trial studied whether an integrative polygenic score (iPGS) could identify older adults who might benefit from daily 100 mg aspirin for primary prevention of ischemic stroke. The key finding was that iPGS stratification could define a subgroup of participants (European ancestry, age >70, no prior cardiovascular disease) with a more favorable net benefit profile from aspirin compared with those at lower genetic risk. Clinically, polygenic risk stratification could personalize aspirin decisions in older adults to balance ischemic benefit against bleeding risk.
Yu C, Hussain SM, Fransquet PD et al. · Stroke · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Circulating monocyte gene expression profiles associated with cardiac remodeling and incident heart failure in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
This Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) analysis linked circulating CD14+ monocyte gene expression profiles to cardiac remodeling and incident heart failure in 1,195 participants free of ischemic heart disease. RNA from isolated monocytes was quantified on an Illumina microarray and integrated with concurrently acquired contrast-enhanced CMR metrics to identify gene expression patterns associated with remodeling and future HF. The results implicate specific monocyte transcriptional programs in non-ischemic cardiac remodeling and provide candidate biomarkers for incident heart failure risk.
Peterson TE, Hahn VS, Ding J et al. · Communications medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Hundreds of cardiac MRI traits derived using 3D diffusion autoencoders share a common genetic architecture.
This UK Biobank study used a 3D diffusion autoencoder to derive latent cardiac MRI traits from temporally resolved CMR data in 71,017 participants, reducing reliance on time-consuming expert annotations. The derived traits were reproducible and heritable (heritability reported as h2 = 4–18%) and were associated with cardiometabolic traits, and genome-wide association analysis identified 89 significant common variants across 42 loci. The work establishes a shared genetic architecture for hundreds of cardiac MRI-derived phenotypes, enabling scalable genotype–phenotype discovery from biobank-scale imaging.
Ometto S, Chatterjee S, Vergani AM et al. · Nature communications · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Generated automatically on July 01, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published June 24, 2026 – July 01, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.