What's New in Cardiac MRI? — July 21, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 66 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
July 21, 2026 · 66 articles · 15 research themes · covering July 14, 2026 – July 21, 2026
Overview
Across this week’s set of studies, cardiac MRI continues to expand in two directions: (1) more precise, time-aware interpretation of disease processes, and (2) more scalable quantification through automation and advanced acquisition/reconstruction. Several investigations emphasize that timing and context matter—for example, CMR abnormalities in Takotsubo syndrome vary by imaging phase, and pulmonary vascular/heart remodeling signals in early dilated cardiomyopathy or post-surgical states may be heterogeneous rather than uniform. Parallel case reports show how CMR helps resolve diagnostic uncertainty when standard tests conflict, including distinguishing athlete’s heart from cardiomyopathy, identifying rare cardiac masses, and characterizing intramural hematomas or aneurysms that can mimic other pathologies.
A second dominant theme is mechanistic linkage between imaging biomarkers and clinical risk. Studies connect CMR-derived measures (e.g., LA strain, radiomics “heart age,” extracellular volume surrogates, pulmonary circulation biomarkers, and thrombus risk scores) to outcomes such as mortality, remodeling, and functional recovery. In cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia contexts, the literature highlights the importance of substrate characterization—CMR scar/edema patterns and electrophysiology/genetics together refine risk stratification in myocarditis-like presentations, inherited arrhythmia syndromes, and post-myocarditis ventricular tachycardia. For HFpEF and diastolic dysfunction, reviews and original work argue that resting imaging alone can miss dynamic congestion/pressure physiology, motivating multimodality strategies that connect noninvasive indices to invasive hemodynamics.
Finally, a substantial portion of the digest focuses on engineering advances that make CMR more practical and reproducible: motion tracking with continuous-time models, automated LA strain pipelines, annotation-free ROI localization, and new reconstruction frameworks bridging gated and real-time imaging. Together with feasibility studies for radiation-free interventional CMR and 4D flow workflows, these efforts aim to reduce variability, broaden access, and improve reliability—supporting earlier detection, better longitudinal monitoring, and more personalized management across cardiology and related public health contexts.
Cardiac MRI in Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Heart Disease
Quantitative CMR-derived pulmonary circulation imaging biomarkers in recent-onset dilated cardiomyopathy associated with pulmonary hemodynamics and clinical improvement.
This BMC Medical Imaging retrospective study evaluated 90 patients with recent-onset dilated cardiomyopathy (RODCM) using quantitative cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) pulmonary circulation imaging biomarkers (PCIB) at baseline and 1-year follow-up, excluding 26 patients with myocarditis confirmed by endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). PCIB derived from CMR were assessed for associations with pulmonary hypertension, systolic and diastolic function, and clinical improvement over time. The study’s significance lies in proposing CMR-derived pulmonary vascular biomarkers as objective tools to phenotype pulmonary hemodynamics and track recovery in early-stage dilated cardiomyopathy.
Opatřil L, Mojica-Pisciotti ML, Panovský R et al. · BMC medical imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Performance-Enhancing Drug-Associated Myocarditis in a Young Athlete: From Cardiogenic Shock to Clearance.
This case report studied a 21-year-old athlete who developed fulminant myocarditis after performance-enhancing drug use. The key finding was that cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed myocarditis, the patient progressed to cardiogenic shock requiring inotropic support, and then improved with diuresis and high-dose corticosteroids. The clinical significance is that it highlights the need for careful, biomarker- and CMR-guided activity restriction and return-to-exercise decision-making in athletes with drug-associated myocarditis.
Parks EA, Essig J, Pistiolis S · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone in Pulmonary Hypertension (EDIPHY): A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial.
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial tested whether oral dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) improves right ventricular (RV) function in 26 participants with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), with RV longitudinal strain measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) after 18 weeks. DHEA showed no effect on RV longitudinal strain. These findings suggest that correcting low DHEA/DHEA-S levels is unlikely to be a useful strategy for improving RV systolic mechanics in PAH, at least as assessed by CMR strain over this timeframe.
Sanders R, Walsh T, Baird GL et al. · Annals of the American Thoracic Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI for Congenital/Structural Heart Disease and Long-Term Follow-Up
The Right Atrium and Atrialised Right Ventricle are Associated with Cardiac Output During Exercise in Patients with Ebstein Anomaly of the Tricuspid Valve.
This Pediatric Cardiology study investigated 13 un-operated children/adolescents with Ebstein anomaly of the tricuspid valve (median age 13.5 years) using exercise testing and resting/exercise cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). It quantified right atrial volume (RAi) and atrialised right ventricular volume (aRVi) and found associations with cardiac output during exercise and exercise capacity (%VO2max). The findings are clinically relevant because they suggest RA and atrialised RV remodeling may be key determinants of functional capacity in Ebstein anomaly, informing risk assessment and management.
Gnanappa GK, Luxford J, Dryburgh L et al. · Pediatric cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Multimodality Imaging of Pulmonary Regurgitation and Right Ventricular Remodeling in Adults With Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot: A Descriptive Single-Center Case Series.
This descriptive single-center case series studied seven adults with surgically repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) who underwent serial transthoracic echocardiography and at least two cardiac MRI examinations over 5 to >15 years. The key finding was that multimodality imaging characterized chronic pulmonary regurgitation (PR) severity and its relationship to right ventricular (RV) remodeling over long-term follow-up. The clinical significance is that it illustrates how combined TTE and CMR can support longitudinal monitoring and inform timing decisions for pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) in repaired TOF patients.
AlRahimi J · Cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI in Cardiomyopathies (Genetic, Inflammatory, and Phenotype-Specific)
Diagnostic Approach to Cardiac Sarcoidosis.
This review article summarizes the diagnostic challenges of cardiac sarcoidosis, a granulomatous myocarditis, and compares how major consensus documents differ in diagnostic thresholds and recommended testing. It emphasizes that no single modality provides both high sensitivity and specificity, leading to potential discordant diagnoses when different consensus criteria are applied to the same patient. Clinically, the article highlights the need for multimodality evaluation (e.g., imaging and clinical criteria) and careful interpretation of consensus definitions to improve detection of patients at risk for arrhythmias, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death.
Lehtonen J, Birnie DH · Circulation · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Myocardial fat fraction in Becker muscular dystrophy and women carrying pathogenic DMD gene variants assessed by Dixon cardiac MRI.
This cross-sectional study quantified myocardial fat fraction using Dixon cardiac MRI in 20 patients with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) and in women carrying pathogenic DMD gene variants, and related myocardial fat fraction to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), age, and skeletal muscle fat fraction. Myocardial fat fraction measured by Dixon CMR was assessed for association with cardiac function and with skeletal muscle fatty replacement, indicating whether cardiac involvement parallels skeletal disease progression. The results support Dixon CMR as a noninvasive biomarker for cardiac involvement in dystrophinopathies, potentially enabling earlier monitoring of cardiomyopathy risk in BMD and DMD-variant carriers.
Lyu Z, Teitsdóttir B, Joensen H et al. · Journal of neuromuscular diseases · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Pleiotropic Phenotype of RYR2 Exon 3 Deletion: Biventricular Noncompaction and Malignant Arrhythmias.
This case report studied a 33-year-old woman with a pathogenic RYR2 exon 3 deletion (E3DS) presenting during pregnancy with arrhythmias and structural cardiomyopathy. She developed biventricular noncompaction, sinus node dysfunction, nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and postpartum progression to persistent bradyarrhythmia with complete supranodal atrioventricular block and extensive right atrial low-voltage on electrophysiology, with cardiac MRI confirming biventricular noncompaction. The report highlights that RYR2 E3DS can produce a pleiotropic phenotype spanning conduction system disease and malignant ventricular arrhythmias, supporting early surveillance and risk stratification in ryanodinopathy patients.
Faucher L, Cardi T, Fitouchi S et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Clinical spectrum and ascertainment pathways in pediatric female dystrophinopathy.
This single-center retrospective case series studied 35 genetically confirmed pediatric girls with DMD gene variants to define the clinical spectrum, ascertainment pathways, and inheritance patterns of female dystrophinopathy. The key finding was that presentations ranged from asymptomatic at evaluation to subtle childhood skeletal muscle involvement and cardiac manifestations, with ascertainment differing between symptom-driven referral and incidental/cross-sectional detection. Scientifically and clinically, the work clarifies how female DMD carriers/affected girls are identified and what subclinical muscle and cardiac features may warrant surveillance.
Jiao H, Bai J, Li P et al. · Italian journal of pediatrics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Clinical phenotype and outcomes of low-risk HCM patients who maintained stable exercise habits during follow-up.
This study evaluated low-risk hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients (n=253) who maintained stable exercise habits during follow-up, stratifying them into sedentary, mild, and vigorous exercise groups based on METs/week. The key finding was that reliably documented long-term exercise participation was associated with a more favorable clinical phenotype and follow-up outcomes compared with sedentary patients within the low-risk category. Scientifically, it supports the concept that sustained physical activity may modify risk markers in low-risk HCM, informing counseling and management strategies.
Pelliccia A, Ferrera A, Daniello CD et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Fabry disease cardiomyopathy: Time for a closer heart rhythm monitoring?
This narrative review evaluated whether closer rhythm monitoring is needed for patients with Anderson–Fabry disease (FD) cardiomyopathy, focusing on the gap in identifying individuals at risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) and lethal arrhythmias. The key finding was that current risk stratification tools and intermittent monitoring strategies such as 24-hour Holter are often inadequate for detecting paroxysmal, asymptomatic arrhythmias that may drive FD-related SCD risk. Clinically, it supports reconsidering monitoring intensity and strategy (beyond standard Holter) to better capture clinically relevant arrhythmia burden in FD.
Mugnai G, Genovese D, De Michieli L et al. · Heart failure reviews · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Severe Left Ventricular Dilation With Preserved Contractile Reserve in an Adolescent Elite Athlete.
This case studied an 18-year-old competitive male basketball athlete with exertional palpitations and atrial fibrillation to distinguish physiologic athletic remodeling from early cardiomyopathy. Multimodality evaluation showed severe left ventricular dilation (indexed end-diastolic volume 156 mL/m²), moderately reduced ejection fraction (35–40%), and supraphysiologic tissue Doppler diastolic velocities, with cardiac magnetic resonance confirming marked dilation without late gadolinium enhancement. Clinically, it underscores that significant structural abnormalities and electrical instability in elite athletes may represent early cardiomyopathy even when inflammatory scar is absent.
Mutebi C, Chukwurah M, Chukumerije MT et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Differentiating an Athlete’s Heart and Cardiomyopathy: Role of Advanced Cardiac Imaging.
This JACC Case Reports study evaluated a 37-year-old male endurance athlete in whom screening coronary calcium incidentally found cardiac enlargement with overlapping features of athlete’s heart versus cardiomyopathy. While ECG and echocardiography suggested exercise-induced physiological remodeling, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) demonstrated multifocal myocardial scarring concerning for cardiomyopathy. The case highlights how advanced CMR can resolve diagnostic uncertainty and guide management when standard testing cannot reliably distinguish physiologic remodeling from cardiomyopathic disease.
Jilani T, Khan S, Fakikh Y et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Vascular changes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
This Cardiovascular Research review summarized evidence on vascular changes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), focusing on both microvascular dysfunction and structural vascular remodeling across disease severity. It collated modalities used to assess vascular function (cardiac and peripheral) and linked these vascular abnormalities to progression involving fibrosis and clinical outcomes. The review is significant because it frames vascular pathology as a potential contributor to HCM progression and highlights how different assessment techniques may stratify risk and guide future interventions.
Visch JE, Nassar A, Burchell G et al. · Cardiovascular research · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI as surveillance and risk stratification of arrhythmogenic foci in long-chain hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.
This Proceedings (Baylor University Medical Center) case report described a 22-year-old woman with long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) deficiency who underwent serial cardiac MRI for subclinical cardiac involvement. Over time, her myocardial scar burden remained stable while septal hypertrophy evolved despite preserved ventricular function, illustrating progression of arrhythmogenic substrate risk. The case supports cardiac MRI as a surveillance tool for early detection and longitudinal risk stratification in fatty-acid oxidation disorders with evolving cardiac phenotypes.
Kantheti H, Natarajan R, Yuvaraj R et al. · Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI for Myocarditis and Post-Myocarditis Remodeling
Mesalazine-Induced Myocarditis: A Challenging Diagnostic Journey.
This clinical case report studied a patient who developed acute myocarditis shortly after starting mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid). The key finding was that mesalazine-induced myocarditis required a challenging diagnostic workup but cardiac MRI was pivotal for diagnosis, and stopping mesalazine led to rapid clinical recovery. The report is clinically significant because it emphasizes early recognition of drug-induced myocarditis to prevent progression to severe complications.
Bouayed MZ, Benaini I, Koulali H et al. · Clinical case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Reverse Remodeling in Pediatric Myocarditis With DCM Phenotype Impact of rASD and PAB.
This JACC Advances study analyzed 31 children <3 years with biopsy-proven myocarditis and a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) phenotype to assess reverse remodeling after a staged, pathophysiology-guided strategy using left atrial decompression and pulmonary artery banding (PAB). The key finding was that selected infants and young children could show myocardial recovery consistent with reverse remodeling following this combined intervention approach. The clinical significance is that it offers a potential early therapeutic pathway to improve outcomes in pediatric myocarditis progressing to DCM, leveraging the immature myocardium’s regenerative capacity.
Logeswaran T, Akintürk H, Schranz D et al. · JACC. Advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
[Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in pediatric takotsubo syndrome: a case report].
This pediatric case report described diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in takotsubo syndrome in a 15-year-old adolescent with Barlow syndrome and severe mitral regurgitation who underwent mechanical mitral valve replacement. The key finding was that intraoperative findings suggestive of endocarditis were identified and later confirmed by microbiologic isolation, illustrating how postoperative cardiovascular deterioration can overlap with takotsubo presentations and complicate recognition. Clinically, it highlights the need for careful differential diagnosis in children after cardiac surgery when takotsubo syndrome is suspected.
Maza-Caneva OC, Villa-Vargas RA, Restrepo-Hincapié AC et al. · Archivos de cardiologia de Mexico · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Left-Dominant Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy in a Young Athlete: Silent Danger on the Pitch.
This case studied a 21-year-old athlete with neurologic symptoms and chest discomfort, evaluating suspected myocarditis-like “hot phase” in left-dominant arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ALVC). Imaging showed LV dilation, apical hypokinesia, apical thrombus, and multifocal nonischemic late gadolinium enhancement with edema, but despite low-grade inflammation on endomyocardial biopsy, progressive LV remodeling with persistent late gadolinium enhancement supported ALVC rather than transient myocarditis. The significance is that ALVC can masquerade as myocarditis and requires careful longitudinal assessment to prevent missed ventricular arrhythmia risk.
Esteves S, Cazeiro DI, Guimarães T et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Recurrent Pericarditis in a Rugby Player: Imaging-Guided Therapy.
This case studied a 26-year-old rugby player with recurrent pericarditis after atrial septal defect repair, focusing on imaging-guided therapy during rilonacept tapering. She achieved clinical remission on rilonacept after CMR showed moderate pericardial late gadolinium enhancement and a high pericarditis risk score, but she relapsed 11 months after tapering despite normal inflammatory biomarkers and only mild residual CMR enhancement at taper initiation. Clinically, it highlights that residual CMR enhancement may predict relapse and that imaging can guide duration and taper strategy for recurrent pericarditis in athletes.
Abuawad A, Badwan O, Ehsan M et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Elite-Level Sports: A 12-Year Follow-Up Case.
This 12-year follow-up case studied an asymptomatic elite athlete diagnosed with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (aHCM) who participated in elite-level sports from ages 17 to 31 years. The athlete showed no adverse morphologic changes and no progression of apical fibrosis or disease after long-term high-level exercise, even after stopping professional sports. The report supports the view that aHCM may have a more favorable long-term interaction with elite sports than other HCM phenotypes, though conclusions remain limited to a single case.
Thio Q, van Hattum J, Nijland F et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
CMR Findings Across Disease Phases in Takotsubo Syndrome: Insights From the Multicenter EVOLUTION Registry.
This retrospective multicenter EVOLUTION registry analysis studied 439 patients with Takotsubo syndrome (400 females; mean age ~70 years) and compared CMR findings across disease phases defined by time from symptom onset to CMR (acute 1–72 hours, subacute 4–21 days, late ≥22 days). The key finding was that CMR abnormalities and their temporal patterns differed by acquisition phase, reflecting dynamic myocardial tissue changes over time. This matters for clinical interpretation of CMR in Takotsubo syndrome and for standardizing timing when using CMR biomarkers to guide diagnosis and risk assessment.
Cau R, Luetkens J, Pontone G et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI for Arrhythmias and Electrophysiology Risk Stratification
The Innocent Delta Wave in Progressive Cardiomyopathy - Culprit vs Bystander.
This case report described a 34-year-old man with progressive cardiomyopathy who presented with recurrent palpitations, atrial fibrillation, and a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype with conduction disease history in his family. The report highlights the “innocent delta wave” as a bystander phenomenon rather than the primary driver of the patient’s clinical deterioration, in the context of progressive cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia. The clinical significance is improved interpretation of ECG pre-excitation patterns in complex cardiomyopathy, preventing misattribution of risk solely to delta waves.
Ansari AG, Shanmugam S, Vijay J et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Exercise-Provoked Wide-Complex Tachycardia and Extreme Duke Score: Orthodromic Reciprocating Tachycardia Unmasked by Electrophysiology Study.
This JACC Case Reports report described a 44-year-old man who developed exercise-provoked sustained wide-complex tachycardia with left bundle branch block morphology during stress-test recovery, initially mimicking ventricular tachycardia. The key finding was that electrophysiology study unmasked orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia mediated by a concealed left posterior accessory pathway, with angiography and cardiac MRI excluding obstructive and structural heart disease. The clinical significance is that careful electrophysiologic evaluation can prevent misdiagnosis of ventricular tachycardia in exercise-induced wide-complex rhythms, guiding appropriate management of supraventricular tachycardias with aberrancy.
Ray N, Petty A, Money D et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Premature Ventricular Contractions as a Result of Subacute Myocarditis in a Professional Football Player.
This case studied a 33-year-old professional football player undergoing return-to-play evaluation for premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and atypical chest pain with concern for myocarditis. Electrocardiography showed fragmented R waves and PVCs, cardiac magnetic resonance showed late gadolinium enhancement, and a normal positron emission tomography scan supported subacute myocarditis after which he received guideline-directed medical therapy and rest. The report is significant for athlete risk stratification by combining ECG, CMR, and PET to clarify myocarditis-related arrhythmia before return-to-play decisions.
Pirquet C, Underberg D, Osler B et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Syncope and Scar in a Former Elite Basketball Player.
This case studied a 47-year-old former elite basketball player presenting with exertional syncope, in whom evaluation sought late sequelae of myocarditis and scar-related ventricular tachycardia (VT). Cardiac magnetic resonance demonstrated an inferolateral scar consistent with prior myocarditis, and electrophysiology testing showed inducible VT leading to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement. The significance is that CMR scar characterization plus electrophysiology can guide definitive VT management in athletes with unexplained syncope years after myocarditis.
Garba DL, Aronis KN, Barouch LA et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Myocardial Inflammation Reveals a Genetic Desmosomal Cardiomyopathy in an Athlete.
This case studied a 32-year-old female athlete with bradycardia, troponin elevation, and high PVC burden, where myocardial inflammation overlapped with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) features. Endomyocardial biopsy confirmed acute lymphocytic myocarditis and immunosuppressive therapy was started, while genetic testing identified a likely pathogenic PKP2 variant. The report is significant because it links inflammatory myocarditis to desmosomal cardiomyopathy genetics (PKP2), informing diagnosis and treatment in athletes with myocarditis-like presentations.
Kueppers ST, Magnussen C, Waldeyer C et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Physiologic Unmasking of an Anomalous Right Coronary Artery in a Competitive Lacrosse Athlete.
This case studied an 18-year-old competitive lacrosse player with progressive exertional dyspnea despite normal ECG, cardiac magnetic resonance, and nuclear stress testing, to evaluate anomalous right coronary artery (ARCA) physiology. Baseline transthoracic echocardiography raised suspicion, and coronary computed tomography angiography confirmed an interarterial and intramural course with mild associated findings, demonstrating physiologic unmasking of the anomaly. The report is significant because it shows that well-conditioned athletes may have normal routine testing, and CT angiography can be crucial when echocardiography suggests ARCA.
Chukwurah MI, Akele O, Bhatia R et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Coronary Intramural Hematoma in a Young Athlete After Direct Ball Impact to the Chest.
This JACC Case Reports report evaluated a 19-year-old competitive athlete who developed sudden retrosternal chest pain after blunt chest impact during a football match. Troponin peaked at 20,400 ng/L, coronary angiography showed a nonobstructive ostial left anterior descending (LAD) lesion, CMR demonstrated near-transmural ischemic injury with microvascular obstruction in the basal-mid septum, and coronary CT angiography showed hyperdense mural thickening with positive remodeling. The findings support that coronary intramural hematoma can present as acute coronary syndrome after blunt trauma and that CMR/CT can define ischemic injury and vessel wall pathology even without obstructive coronary disease.
Sakhi H, Kalifa L, Fradi S et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Ventricular Tachycardia in a Young Athlete With Prior Myocarditis and MYL2 Mutation.
This case report studied a 23-year-old female competitive soccer player with prior myocarditis features and a MYL2 mutation who underwent monitored return to play. The key finding was that she developed a 42-second episode of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia while sprinting despite recovery and normal follow-up imaging and testing after activity restriction. The scientific/clinical significance is that it underscores the arrhythmogenic risk of inherited cardiomyopathy (MYL2) and/or myocarditis substrate in young athletes, supporting cautious, multimodal risk stratification before return to high-intensity sport.
Burka S, Garba D, Barouch LA et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
The CAMERA-MRI Score to Predict LVEF Normalization Post Ablation for Primary Atrial Fibrillation Mediated Cardiomyopathy: a Pooled Analysis of Two Randomized Clinical Trials.
This pooled analysis studied predictors of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) normalization after catheter ablation in patients with primary atrial fibrillation (AF)-mediated cardiomyopathy using baseline and serial cardiac MRI from the CAMERA-MRI and CAMERA-MRI II randomized trials. The key finding was that specific baseline and/or early post-ablation CMR-derived and clinical variables were associated with subsequent LVEF normalization, enabling prospective risk stratification. The clinical significance is that it can help identify which AF-mediated cardiomyopathy patients are most likely to recover LVEF after ablation.
Cho KK, Segan L, Anthony C et al. · Heart rhythm · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI for Thrombus, Masses, and Mimics (Diagnostic Differentiation)
Determinants, risk score, and prognostic implications of left ventricular thrombus in ischemic cardiomyopathy assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance: a retrospective cohort study.
This retrospective cohort study evaluated 790 patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (LVEF <50%, >40 days post–myocardial infarction) who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to identify determinants of CMR-detected left ventricular thrombus (LVT), build a CMR-based risk score, and assess outcomes. CMR-detected LVT was associated with worse major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and the study derived clinical/CMR factors that improved risk stratification for LVT in chronic ICM. These findings support CMR-based prediction of LVT risk in chronic post-MI patients, potentially guiding closer surveillance and earlier anticoagulation decisions to reduce thromboembolic and cardiovascular events.
Aramcharoen C, Buraphat P, Wanitanantakun T et al. · Annals of medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Shortness of Breath Due to a Large Spontaneous Left Atrial Intramural Hematoma.
This case studied a 58-year-old man with acute severe shortness of breath after marathon and 10-mile running, in whom imaging evaluated a large spontaneous left atrial intramural hematoma (LAIH). Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (intermediate T1, slightly elevated T2, and no enhancement on first-pass or late gadolinium enhancement) supported LAIH, and surgical pathology confirmed the diagnosis. Clinically, it highlights that LAIH—often iatrogenic but possible spontaneously—can mimic cardiac masses and is best characterized with multimodality imaging to guide urgent management.
Mulder AAW, Vergeer D, Olsthoorn JR et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Right Atrial Mass in an Adolescent With a Complex Hematologic History: What Is the Diagnosis?
This case studied a 17-year-old female with hemoglobin SS sickle cell disease, Moyamoya disease, prior stroke, and pulmonary embolism, in whom a large pedunculated right atrial mass was incidentally found on cardiac magnetic resonance. The differential (thrombus vs tumor vs vegetation) was resolved by cardiac catheterization with pathologic confirmation of the diagnosis. Scientifically and clinically, it emphasizes integrating complex hematologic and thromboembolic history with multimodality imaging to correctly diagnose right atrial masses.
Almasri M, Dalby S, Stallings-Archer K et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Mitral Valve Blood Cyst Discovered as an Incidentaloma in Trauma Evaluation.
This case studied a 31-year-old woman undergoing trauma evaluation after stab wounds to the left chest, in whom a mitral valve blood cyst was discovered incidentally. While CT suggested pneumopericardium and a left ventricular hypodensity concerning for thrombus or laceration, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography identified a 2.0 × 1.5 cm cystic mitral valve mass attached to the ventricular aspect of A2/A3. The significance is that rare congenital valvular blood cysts can mimic thrombus or traumatic injury on imaging, and targeted echocardiography is key to avoid misdiagnosis.
Bravo F, Ref J, Pullela N et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Leiomyosarcoma First Signaled by Chest Pain: Beyond Angina.
This JACC Case Reports report described a 49-year-old man with worsening exertional chest pain and dyspnea whose imaging was discordant for a malignant versus benign cardiac mass. Cardiac MRI favored a benign mass, echocardiography favored malignancy, and final pathology identified high-grade left atrial leiomyosarcoma with myxoid features. The report underscores the diagnostic challenge of rare primary cardiac tumors and the need for careful multimodality imaging and tissue diagnosis when clinical presentation and imaging disagree.
Shakfeh K, Suma V, El Khoury G et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Long-Term Survival With Left Ventricular Aneurysm: The Cardiac Ball That Didn’t Burst.
This JACC Case Reports study followed a 58-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in whom a giant left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) was incidentally detected. Multimodality imaging using transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed a giant inferolateral LVA (12.0 × 8.6 × 7.2 cm), and surgical intervention was recommended but declined. The case illustrates the clinical importance of recognizing and characterizing LVA with advanced imaging because of risks such as heart failure progression, arrhythmias, and thromboembolism.
Encarnación-Martínez U, Arriaga-Páez F, Guillén-Ortiz CA et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI for Heart Failure and HFpEF Physiology
Feasibility of early detection of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive patients using four-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance.
This retrospective study evaluated whether early left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in 66 hypertensive patients—stratified by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) status and LVDD status defined by multiparametric echocardiography (E/e’, E/A, and left atrial diameter)—can be detected using four-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance (4D flow CMR)–derived left ventricular kinetic energy (KE) parameters, compared with 30 matched healthy controls. The key finding was that 4D flow CMR–derived LV kinetic energy metrics can identify early LVDD in hypertensive patients, including those without overt LVH, using the echocardiography-defined LVDD phenotype as the reference standard. This supports 4D flow CMR as a potential noninvasive imaging approach for earlier detection of hypertensive diastolic impairment before progression to overt structural disease.
Peng K, Zhao J, Wang Z et al. · European journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Understanding HFpEF Through Imaging: Strengths, Limitations, and Current State of the Art.
This 2026 JACC Cardiovascular Imaging State-of-the-Art review synthesized evidence on how imaging (especially echocardiography and multimodality noninvasive imaging) can be used to understand and diagnose heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in patients with dyspnea and hemodynamic congestion. The key finding was that HFpEF pathophysiology extends beyond isolated diastolic dysfunction, and that noninvasive indices at rest can be insensitive because diastolic pressures may be normal, so imaging must be linked to invasive hemodynamics to improve diagnostic accuracy. Clinically, this reframes HFpEF evaluation toward multimodality imaging strategies that better capture dynamic congestion and physiology rather than relying solely on resting diastolic measures.
Harada T, Naser JA, Ghanbari F et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease: The women’s ischemia syndrome evaluation - Coronary microvascular dysfunction study (WISE-CVD).
This WISE-CVD study investigated women (n=253) with ischemia symptoms and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) to determine whether coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD)–related impairment in LV relaxation contributes to elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). The key finding was that invasive coronary functional testing (CFT) demonstrated CMD-associated abnormalities alongside elevated resting LVEDP, and a predefined subset underwent cardiac MRI to further characterize the mechanism. Scientifically, it links CMD physiology to elevated LV filling pressures in women with INOCA, supporting LVEDP as a mechanistic bridge toward HFpEF development.
Ranasinghe S, Tjoe B, Chang J et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI for Valvular Disease Quantification and Outcomes
RACI: A Novel Prognostic Marker in Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation.
This prospective observational study included 633 consecutive patients with moderate-or-greater functional tricuspid regurgitation undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance to test whether the right atrioventricular coupling index (RACI = right atrial volume / right ventricular end-diastolic volume) predicts all-cause mortality. Patients with high RACI (≥0.62 by Youden-index cutoff) had higher mortality than those with normal RACI (<0.62). RACI could serve as a CMR-derived prognostic biomarker reflecting RA–RV hemodynamic interaction in functional tricuspid regurgitation, improving risk assessment beyond standard echocardiographic severity.
Zhang RS, Falco G, Li E et al. · Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Quantification of Single Valve Regurgitation in the Pediatric Population Using 3-Dimensional Echocardiography: Reproducibility and Comparison with Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
This study compared 3-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) against cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as the reference standard for quantifying single-valve regurgitation in children and adolescents (<18 years) with mild regurgitation of one valve and biventricular circulation. The key finding was that 3DE-derived regurgitation fraction (RF) quantification showed reproducibility and agreement with CMR-based RF measurement. Clinically, this supports using 3DE in pediatric practice to estimate regurgitation severity without routinely requiring CMR, improving feasibility while maintaining accuracy.
Kuebler JD, Moleon-Shea M, Lu M et al. · Pediatric cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI for Vascular Biology, Atherosclerosis, and Aortic Hemodynamics
Identifying abnormal patterns of wall shear stress in mild-to-moderate aortic dilation and tricuspid valves using permutation tests.
This study used 4D flow MRI to compute aortic wall shear stress (WSS) maps and compared patch-wise regional WSS differences between 46 patients with mild-to-moderate ascending aortic dilation with tricuspid valves and age- and sex-matched controls. The authors evaluated permutation testing to address multiple-comparison issues when identifying abnormal regional WSS patterns between cohorts. Scientifically, the approach improves statistical rigor for detecting localized hemodynamic abnormalities that may relate to aortic disease progression and risk.
Trenti C, Boito D, Hammaréus F et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement on blood flow in the ascending aorta and brachiocephalic artery.
This prospective study enrolled patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for aortic stenosis and used four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (4D flow CMR) to measure blood flow in the ascending aorta (AAo) and brachiocephalic artery (BCA) before and after TAVR. The key finding was that post-TAVR increases in AAo/BCA flow were quantified and that the magnitude of the post-procedure flow response depended on pre-TAVR flow rate. This is clinically relevant because it may help predict vascular hemodynamic changes after TAVR and refine patient-specific expectations for cerebral and systemic perfusion improvements.
Yamasaki K, Tsuneta S, Kanaya M et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI for Ischemic Heart Disease and Revascularization/Recovery
Topical vascular organoid therapy promotes microvascular regeneration and functional recovery in porcine ischemic cardiomyopathy.
This preclinical study tested a topical, scaffold-free vascular organoid therapy made from human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and mesenchymal stem cell-derived smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in a porcine model of ischemic cardiomyopathy. After transplantation onto the left ventricular surface 14 days post-ischemia, cardiac MRI showed preservation of left ventricular ejection fraction and modest improvement in regional function compared with controls. These results support the concept that organoid-based microvascular regeneration can improve functional recovery beyond epicardial revascularization in ischemic heart disease.
Farag JA, Yajima S, Kawai Y et al. · Stem cell reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI Biomarkers, Radiomics, and Automated Quantification Methods
Advancing Heart Ageing in Ischemic Heart Disease: Insights from CMR and ECG Analysis.
This study investigated biological heart ageing in ischemic heart disease (IHD) by estimating heart age using advanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) radiomics features and ECG-derived phenotypes in 2,142 prevalent IHD cases. The key finding was that the heart age gap (HAG)—the difference between predicted and actual heart age—related to IHD and was influenced by conventional imaging indices and vascular risk factors. The work is significant because it proposes an integrated CMR+ECG biomarker framework to quantify accelerated cardiac ageing in IHD patients.
Salih AM, Rauseo E, Galazzo IB et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Fully Automatic Left Atrial Strain Quantification via Multi-task Learning on Cardiac Cine MRI.
This study developed a fully automatic left atrial (LA) strain quantification pipeline using multi-task learning on cardiac cine MRI, combining a groupwise registration network and a segmentation network with spatiotemporal cross-attention. The key finding was that the model could quantify LA strain directly from two-chamber and four-chamber cine images and address contouring errors, motion heterogeneity, and temporal drift that limit CMR feature tracking, outperforming or matching conventional feature tracking approaches such as optical flow. Clinically, scalable automated LA strain measurement could improve reproducibility for atrial function assessment in cardiovascular disease.
Zhao Y, Chen H, Gong Y et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Fast and scalable annotation-free LV-centered ROI localisation in stress perfusion cardiac MRI.
This study developed and tested an annotation-free, LV-centered region-of-interest (ROI) localization pipeline for stress perfusion cardiac MRI in order to avoid manual labeling. The key finding was that combining Fast Fourier Transform-based localization, Sobel edge refinement, and a fallback heuristic (with a circular ROI post-processing step) produced consistent LV-centered ROIs directly from raw perfusion frames without task-specific annotations. This is clinically and scientifically significant because it can accelerate stress perfusion CMR analysis and enable scalable downstream modeling when labeled datasets are scarce.
Kalashami MP, Fagioli A, Marini MR et al. · Computers in biology and medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Septal thickness to QRS voltage ratio in Lead I/aVR: A simple tool for estimating cardiac amyloid burden.
This study evaluated whether a simple echo–ECG index—maximum septal thickness (MST) divided by QRS voltage in lead I and/or aVR—can estimate cardiac amyloid burden in patients with suspected or confirmed cardiac amyloidosis. The key finding was that the MST/QRS voltage ratio correlated with CMR-derived extracellular volume (ECV), which is the reference standard for noninvasive amyloid quantification. This is significant because it offers a low-cost, widely available alternative to CMR ECV for amyloid burden estimation and risk stratification.
Sclafani M, Arcari L, Tini G et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Differential Biventricular Strain Recovery With Selective Fibrosis Biomarker Regression After Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Prospective CMR Feature-Tracking Study.
In a single-center prospective cohort study of 32 patients with paired follow-up CMR after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), investigators used CMR feature-tracking (CMR-FT) to quantify differential biventricular and biatrial strain recovery alongside fibrosis and adipokine biomarkers. The key finding was that recovery of biventricular strain differed depending on the direction/region and was linked to selective regression of a fibrosis biomarker rather than uniform reversal across all measures. This suggests that cardiac mechanical recovery after bariatric surgery may be temporally and mechanistically heterogeneous, informing how clinicians interpret CMR changes and biomarker trajectories after weight-loss interventions.
Akarsu H, Kılıç İD, Dodurga Y et al. · Obesity surgery · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
The contribution of adolescent cardiovascular disease risk factors to vascular stiffness and cardiac remodelling in young adults.
Using data from the Raine Study, this longitudinal analysis examined how adolescent cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors relate to later vascular stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV) and cardiac remodeling in young adults, with outcomes including left/right ventricular and left atrial myocardial strain and ejection fractions measured by cardiac magnetic resonance. The study found that adolescent risk stratification was associated with differences in vascular stiffness and cardiac structural/functional remodeling by age 27, linking early risk exposure to later cardiometabolic changes. These findings reinforce the value of early identification and intervention during adolescence to reduce downstream CVD risk.
Barden AE, Beilin LJ, Lan NSR et al. · European journal of preventive cardiology · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI Acquisition, Reconstruction, and Motion/Workflow Engineering
Interventional Cardiac Magnetic Resonance-Guided Flutter Ablation: Technical Evolution and Procedural Insights from Early Clinical Use.
This retrospective single-center study analyzed 35 consecutive patients undergoing real-time interventional cardiac MRI (iCMR)-guided cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation on a 1.5T MRI scanner between September 2022 and February 2025. The key finding was that iCMR-guided CTI ablation was feasible and provided procedural insights on efficiency and early clinical outcomes while avoiding ionizing radiation. This supports iCMR as a practical radiation-free platform for catheter ablation, with atrial flutter CTI ablation serving as a benchmark for broader electrophysiology applications.
Hopman LHGA, Mahmoodi S, van Luijk RD et al. · Heart rhythm · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Training Deep Learning Based Dynamic MR Image Reconstruction Using Synthetic Fractals.
This methods study trained deep learning (DL) models for dynamic MRI reconstruction using synthetic fractal data generated from quaternion Julia fractals, and compared them with DL models trained on natural videos and on cardiac MRI data. The key finding was that fractal-trained DL (F-DL) could be used to reconstruct dynamic MR images effectively, potentially reducing reliance on proprietary or privacy-restricted cardiac MRI training datasets. Scientifically, it demonstrates a data-generation strategy that may broaden access to training for dynamic MRI reconstruction while maintaining reconstruction performance.
Raman A, Jaubert O, Wrobel M et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac motion tracking with bidirectional latent neural ODEs from cine cardiac MRI.
This study developed an unsupervised cardiac motion tracking method for cine cardiac MRI using latent neural ordinary differential equations (neural ODEs) with a frame-aware encoder and temporal embeddings. The key finding is that continuous-time deformation dynamics in a compact latent space reduce accumulated temporal errors and improve physical consistency compared with discrete-time learning approaches for long-range dependencies. Clinically, this could enable more reliable, temporally consistent motion quantification from cine MRI for functional assessment and downstream disease analysis.
Ruan D, Zhou K, Zhu C et al. · Computerized medical imaging and graphics : the official journal of the Computerized Medical Imaging Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular 4D Flow MRI for multidirectional hemodynamic assessment: a single-centre observational study.
This single-centre observational study evaluated the feasibility and clinical utility of cardiovascular 4D flow MRI for multidirectional hemodynamic assessment in 30 cardiovascular MRI cases acquired on a Siemens MAGNETOM Skyra 3.0-T system. The key finding was that time-resolved, velocity-encoded 4D Flow MRI with retrospective ECG gating, respiratory compensation, and region-adjusted velocity encoding enabled quantitative visualization of complex hemodynamics. Scientifically and clinically, it supports 4D Flow MRI as a practical tool for comprehensive hemodynamic evaluation beyond single-direction flow measurements.
Ye Y, Zeng T, Chen Y et al. · Biomedizinische Technik. Biomedical engineering · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI Reconstruction Using Diffusion Priors and Multi-Scale Transformer-Based Feature Modeling.
This engineering/biomedical informatics paper proposed a diffusion-based multi-scale feature fusion transformer (DMFT) for cardiac MRI reconstruction, aiming to address limitations of transformer-based methods such as poor high-frequency detail recovery and inconsistent structure under undersampling. The key finding was that incorporating diffusion priors with multi-scale feature modeling improves reconstruction quality and robustness under undersampling compared with prior transformer-based approaches (as evaluated in the study’s reconstruction experiments). This is significant for clinical translation because more reliable, interpretable, high-fidelity cardiac MRI reconstruction can improve diagnostic workflows in undersampled or faster acquisition settings.
Lyu J, Zhao B, Al-Hazzaa SAF et al. · IEEE journal of biomedical and health informatics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Generative MR Multitasking With Complex-Harmonic Cardiac Encoding: Bridging the Gap Between Gated Imaging and Real-Time Imaging.
This methodological study developed a generative MRI multitasking reconstruction framework using complex-harmonic cardiac encoding to bridge gated and real-time cardiac MRI, including quantitative MRI. The key finding was that a conditional variational autoencoder (CVAE) learning subject- and dataset-specific implicit neural temporal bases could link cardiac phase-resolved (“gated-like”) and time-resolved (“real-time-like”) views through an interpretable latent space for cardiac and respiratory motion. This is scientifically significant because it aims to improve reconstruction quality and flexibility across different cardiac MRI acquisition paradigms, potentially enabling more robust real-time quantitative imaging.
Fang X, Christodoulou AG · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
HERZCHECK: Early Detection of Subclinical Preheart Failure Using Mobile Cardiac Magnetic Resonance and Telemedicine in Rural and Underressourced Regions.
This cross-sectional multicenter cohort study (HERZCHECK) evaluated a fully mobile, telemedically supervised cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) screening algorithm for subclinical pre–heart failure in asymptomatic adults aged 40–69 years with cardiovascular risk factors across 12 rural/underresourced sites in Germany. The study’s key aim was to determine whether mobile CMR plus telemedicine could serve as a standardized, ubiquitously applicable screening approach, but the provided abstract excerpt does not include the primary results. If validated, this workflow could enable earlier detection of preclinical cardiac dysfunction and support preventive interventions in settings where conventional imaging access is limited.
Kelle S, Müller ML, Beyer RE et al. · Circulation. Heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Standardized Acquisition of Fetal Cardiac Cine MRI: A Practical Guide.
This practical guide article describes standardized acquisition methods for fetal cardiac cine MRI, focusing on overcoming limitations of fetal cardiac assessment such as gating and motion compensation. It highlights that advances in fetal rhythm monitoring within the MRI scanner enable retrospective gating, allowing more reliable cine cardiac imaging protocols. Standardization of fetal cardiac cine MRI could improve reproducibility and broaden clinical adoption for systematic fetal cardiac assessment beyond ultrasound.
Biechele G, de Vries F, Stos B et al. · Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI for Body Composition and Metabolic/Obesity Effects
Associations of thoracic muscle area factor and visceral adiposity with cardiac function in patients with overweight or obesity.
This cross-sectional study assessed 154 overweight/obese patients undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to determine independent and interactive associations between thoracic axial skeletal muscle mass (TASM) factor, visceral fat thickness, and cardiac function measures including left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), global circumferential strain (GCS), and N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). The key finding was that higher TASM factor correlated positively with EF and |GCS|, while visceral adiposity showed associations with cardiac function/biomarkers (with analyses evaluating both independent and interaction effects). Scientifically, it suggests that skeletal muscle mass and visceral fat contribute to CMR-measured cardiac performance in obesity, supporting more comprehensive body-composition risk assessment in cardiometabolic disease.
Gao L, Cheng L, Liu W et al. · Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Therapeutics and Mechanism-Based Interventions (Non-Imaging)
Trientine for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a phase 2 trial.
This European Heart Journal phase 2 trial evaluated trientine dihydrochloride in people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) to test a copper-transport mechanism aimed at improving mitochondrial function and reducing profibrotic signaling. The study was designed around the rationale that trientine improves intracellular copper I trafficking/availability and chelates copper II, thereby targeting energy deficiency and fibrosis pathways implicated in HCM. If effective and safe, trientine could represent a disease-modifying, mechanism-based therapy for HCM beyond symptom control.
Farrant JP, Dodd S, Rosala-Hallas A et al. · European heart journal · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Public Health, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health
SMARCA4, STK11, and KEAP1 co-inactivation associates with poor prognosis and upregulation of the TGF-β pathway in lung adenocarcinoma.
This translational oncology study investigated lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients with co-inactivation of SMARCA4, STK11, and KEAP1 and assessed how these multigenic alterations relate to prognosis and activation of the TGF-β pathway. The key finding was that SMARCA4, STK11, and KEAP1 co-inactivation was associated with poor prognosis and increased upregulation of TGF-β signaling. These results suggest that combined loss of these tumor suppressors may identify a high-risk LUAD subgroup with pathway-level targets for future therapeutic strategies.
Costa EA, Mello BP, Wohlhieter C et al. · Translational oncology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Ischemic heart disease mortality with documented tobacco use in the United States, 1999-2023: a nationwide population-based analysis.
This nationwide population-based analysis studied U.S. adults aged ≥25 years with ischemic heart disease (ICD-10 I20–I25) and documented tobacco use disorder (ICD-10 F17) as contributing causes of death from 1999–2023 using CDC mortality data. The key finding was the temporal trend in ischemic heart disease mortality rates among people with documented tobacco use, quantified with age-adjusted mortality rates and joinpoint regression (annual percent change and average annual percent change). The results are significant for public health planning by characterizing how tobacco-associated IHD mortality has changed over time in the United States.
Ibrahim AA, Tariq Z, Samad A et al. · Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Mapping chemical footprints: A baseline assessment for organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in coastal sediments of Greece (eastern Mediterranean Sea).
This environmental study assessed baseline contamination in coastal sediments of Greece by measuring concentrations of 24 organochlorine pesticides and 25 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) across 48 coastal areas sampled in March 2023 and March 2024. The key finding was a comprehensive characterization of pollution levels and likely sources of these persistent, bioaccumulative chlorinated contaminants in the eastern Mediterranean coastal environment. Scientifically and environmentally, it establishes a reference dataset (“chemical footprints”) that can support future monitoring and source attribution for long-term marine ecosystem risk.
Parinos C, Skavantzou T, Plakidi E et al. · Marine pollution bulletin · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Population aging and changes in mortality from four major noncommunicable diseases in Suzhou, China: a population-based study from 2000 to 2020.
This BMC Public Health population-based study analyzed household-registered residents of Suzhou, China, from 2000 to 2020 to assess trends in mortality from four major noncommunicable diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes) and quantify the impact of population aging. Using crude and age-standardized mortality rates (Segi’s world standard), years of life lost (YLL), and premature mortality measures, the study examined how changing age structure altered NCD mortality patterns over time. The results are significant for public health planning because they link demographic aging to disease-specific mortality burdens and premature loss of life.
Huang C, Bai M, Hua Y et al. · BMC public health · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Initial experience with primary and redo robotic pyeloplasty using the Versius robotic system (CMR).
This retrospective study evaluated outcomes of primary and redo robotic pyeloplasty using the Versius robotic system (CMR) in patients treated at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute & Research Center (PKLI&RC), Lahore. The key finding was the reported surgical experience across 74 patients (May 2023–July 2025), describing feasibility and perioperative outcomes for both primary and repeat procedures. This is significant because it provides early real-world evidence for Versius adoption in PUJO surgery, including redo cases where technical success is particularly important.
Zafar N, Nusrat NB, Muhammad S et al. · Urologia · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Generated automatically on July 21, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published July 14, 2026 – July 21, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.