What's New in Cardiac MRI? — September 11, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 50 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
September 11, 2026 · 50 articles · 15 research themes · covering September 04, 2026 – September 11, 2026
Overview
This week’s digest is dominated by a clear “precision phenotyping” theme: using advanced imaging (especially CMR tissue characterization and strain), multimodality integration, and—where relevant—genetic or biomarker context to refine risk beyond traditional clinical labels. Studies in CKD/HFpEF, portal hypertension after TIPS, pediatric and lupus myocarditis, Takotsubo syndrome, and pulmonary hypertension all converge on the idea that measurable remodeling (edema, fibrosis, strain, coupling, and ventricular interaction) can reveal clinically meaningful trajectories—often with subgroup-specific nuances such as sex differences or treatment-related changes over time.
A second major thread is improved substrate detection for arrhythmia and embolic risk. Work on cardiac sarcoidosis registry outcomes, post-infarct VT ablation strategies that combine structural scar with functional mapping, and noninvasive scar prediction via echocardiographic strain all reflect a shift toward mapping the “where” and “why” of arrhythmogenic disease. In parallel, stroke-focused studies highlight atrial strain as a marker of atrial cardiomyopathy in ESUS and show sex-specific patterns of rhythm/conduction abnormalities after acute ischemic stroke—supporting more tailored monitoring.
Finally, the digest highlights the expanding technical and translational ecosystem around cardiovascular imaging: from AI-enabled segmentation that can run on CPU devices, to optimized fetal CMR strain for coarctation screening, to position statements and method corrections that aim to standardize and broaden access. Across amyloidosis (including PET/CT and tafamidis-related conduction outcomes) and valvular disease (moderate aortic stenosis pitfalls and MVP biomarkers), the common message is that better measurement—paired with thoughtful clinical interpretation—can enable earlier identification of high-risk patients and more individualized management.
Environmental/Behavioral & Lifestyle Cardiovascular Risk
The changing therapeutic landscape of small-cell lung cancer.
This article reviews small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) biology and emerging therapies, focusing on preclinical advances and cell-surface targets in SCLC. It highlights that identifying SCLC-specific or differentially expressed cell-surface proteins has enabled multiple targeted therapeutic approaches with early evidence of efficacy. These developments are clinically significant because they may help overcome the transient benefit and refractory nature of recurrent SCLC to standard cytotoxic chemotherapy.
Ross JS, Hockemeyer KG, Redin E et al. · Lancet (London, England) · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Baseline fdg pet/ct-derived tumor burden and host metabolic activity predict complete metabolic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in ınvasive ductal breast cancer.
This retrospective study assessed whether baseline FDG PET/CT tumor burden and host metabolic activity predict complete metabolic response (CMR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in women with histologically confirmed invasive ductal breast cancer. In 90 patients who underwent baseline and post-NAC FDG PET/CT, the authors evaluated metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), brain-to-liver ratio (Brain/LR), bone marrow-to-liver ratio (BM/LR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and body composition metrics for association with CMR. If confirmed, these PET/CT-derived and host metabolic biomarkers could enable earlier identification of patients likely to achieve complete metabolic response to NAC.
Cinar A, Senlik SD, Inanir A et al. · Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Nighttime light exposure and cardiac structure and function.
This population-based cohort study in 11,071 UK Biobank participants assessed whether nighttime light exposure (>3 lux estimated from wrist-worn accelerometer light sensors over 7 days) predicts later cardiac structure and function. Participants with higher nighttime light exposure showed dose-response associations with CMR phenotypes and were evaluated for incident cardiovascular disease outcomes. The findings suggest environmental light exposure may contribute to subclinical cardiac remodeling detectable by CMR.
Dai J, Dai W, Heianza Y et al. · European heart journal · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
EuroNet-PHL-LP1: complete resection or low-dose chemotherapy for pediatric low-risk nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma.
In the EuroNet-PHL-LP1 phase 3 trial, children and adolescents with early-stage nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (nLPHL) were studied to determine whether complete resection alone or low-intensity, anthracycline-free CVP (cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, prednisone) could replace standard approaches. Complete resection led to active surveillance, while unresectable disease received 3 cycles CVP, aiming to maintain event-free survival while reducing treatment intensity. The study is significant because it tests de-escalation strategies to lower toxicity (notably avoiding anthracyclines) in a pediatric low-risk population.
Shankar A, Landman-Parker J, Mascarin M et al. · Blood advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Adult Post-operative Mental Health Outcomes Following Abdominal and Orthopedic Surgeries: A Scoping Review.
This scoping review studied adult post-operative mental health outcomes after abdominal and orthopedic surgeries by mapping the breadth and depth of evidence across multiple databases and gray literature. It reports that the literature base is heterogeneous and that post-operative mental health challenges are under-investigated relative to how mental health affects surgical outcomes. The significance is that it identifies gaps to guide future research and improve evidence-based screening and management of mental health after surgery.
Akwa GM, Tiemah NC, Chabeja A et al. · Cureus · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Amyloidosis (AL/ATTR) Detection, Prognosis, and Treatment Effects
Regional Myocardial Tissue Characterization by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Is Associated With Heart Failure Development in Asymptomatic Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy.
This study evaluated asymptomatic patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) to determine which cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and echocardiographic myocardial tissue characteristics predict subsequent heart failure (HF) development. Over a median 770-day follow-up, 6 of 14 asymptomatic patients developed HF, and those who progressed had higher left ventricular mass index (LVMI) on echocardiography, with CMR native T1 also assessed as a tissue marker. The findings are important because they suggest measurable myocardial remodeling on echo/CMR can stratify asymptomatic ATTR-CM patients by HF risk, potentially guiding earlier intervention.
Tsuruda T, Nakada H, Suiko Y et al. · Circulation reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Clinical Factors Related to Cardiac Conduction Disturbance in Patients With Wild-Type Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy Undergoing Tafamidis Treatment.
This study investigated wild-type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) patients starting tafamidis to identify clinical factors, including CMR parameters, associated with atrioventricular conduction disturbances (AVCD) and intraventricular conduction disturbances (IVCD). In 50 wild-type ATTR-CM patients with baseline CMR followed by tafamidis treatment, the authors assessed how conduction disturbances changed and which baseline factors correlated with AVCD/IVCD. Clinically, linking tafamidis-treated conduction outcomes to CMR/clinical predictors could improve monitoring and risk stratification for conduction disease progression in ATTR-CM.
Hamamoto K, Kitagawa T, Okamoto D et al. · Circulation reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Diagnostic Sensitivity of [18F]-Florbetaben-PET/CT in Detecting Cardiac Involvement in AL Amyloidosis: The Prospective MoRBiDA Study.
The prospective MoRBiDA study evaluated the diagnostic sensitivity of [18F]-florbetaben PET/CT (F-PET) for detecting cardiac involvement in treatment-naive AL (light-chain) amyloidosis, integrating multimodality imaging with cardiac/clonal biomarkers. F-PET sensitivity was assessed against established markers of cardiac involvement and correlated with survival prediction and response to therapy. This is significant because it tests whether amyloid-targeted PET/CT can improve early, prognostically relevant detection of cardiac AL amyloidosis beyond conventional approaches.
Milani P, Sanna GD, Pepe G et al. · JACC. Advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Heart Failure & Acute Heart Failure Phenotyping (including biomarkers)
Carbohydrate antigen 125 for predicting right ventricular dysfunction and right ventricular to pulmonary artery uncoupling in acute heart failure: a cardiac magnetic resonance study.
This retrospective single-center study tested whether serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) can predict cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) and right ventricular–pulmonary artery (RV-PA) uncoupling in acute heart failure (AHF) patients. Among 479 consecutive AHF patients undergoing CMR, CA125 was evaluated using ROC analysis and multivariable logistic regression against RVD defined as RV ejection fraction <45% and RV-PA uncoupling defined as RV stroke volume/RV end-systolic volume <1. If validated, CA125 could provide a simpler blood-based surrogate for CMR phenotypes that are known to predict prognosis in AHF.
Valero E, de la Espriella R, Miñana G et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Takotsubo Syndrome (edema, LVOTO, prognosis)
Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and myocardial edema burden in Takotsubo syndrome: acute and long-term outcomes-insights from the EVOLUTION registry.
This EVOLUTION registry sub-analysis studied Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) patients who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) within 5 days of echocardiography to assess how left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) relates to myocardial edema burden and outcomes. Among 249 TTS patients (90.8% women), 26 (10.4%) had LVOTO, and the study compared clinical/CMR characteristics and in-hospital and long-term outcomes between LVOTO and non-LVOTO groups. The results are significant because they clarify the prognostic and mechanistic role of LVOTO-associated myocardial edema in TTS, informing risk assessment and management.
Cau R, Santoro F, Pontone G et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance global T2 mapping in patients with Takotsubo syndrome.
This retrospective study evaluated whether cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) global myocardial T2 mapping (a marker of myocardial edema) predicts major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACE) in patients with Takotsubo syndrome undergoing CMR within 30 days of admission. Higher global T2 values were associated with subsequent MACE, and the authors derived a time-dependent T2 threshold using time-dependent ROC analysis. The finding supports using CMR T2 mapping for prognostic risk stratification in Takotsubo syndrome to better identify patients at higher risk for death, heart failure hospitalization, recurrence, stroke, or transient ischemic attack.
Kadoya Y, Lim J, Alaqaili M et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Arrhythmias & Electrophysiology (VT/ablation, PAC-induced cardiomyopathy, conduction disease)
Speckle tracking echocardiography predicts electroanatomical scar in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy undergoing catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia.
This prospective study evaluated whether speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) segment- and layer-specific longitudinal strain (LS) can predict electroanatomical scar in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy undergoing catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT). Consecutive patients (April 2022–May 2024) had STE-derived LS matched to electroanatomical mapping data (using an 18-segment framework) to test scar prediction. Scientifically and clinically, a non-invasive STE approach could help identify arrhythmogenic substrate when cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) fibrosis mapping is not feasible, improving ablation planning.
Gabrielli FA, Bencardino G, Ballacci F et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Exercise-Provoked Wide-Complex Tachycardia and Extreme Duke Score: Orthodromic Reciprocating Tachycardia Unmasked by Electrophysiology Study.
This case report studied a 44-year-old man with exercise-provoked sustained wide-complex tachycardia during stress-test recovery to determine whether the rhythm was ventricular or supraventricular. Despite initial ventricular-tachycardia–like features (left bundle branch block morphology, ST depression, troponin elevation, and a very low Duke treadmill score), angiography and cardiac magnetic resonance excluded obstructive/structural disease and electrophysiology study revealed orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia via a concealed left posterior accessory pathway. The significance is that electrophysiology can unmask supraventricular mechanisms that mimic ventricular tachycardia during exercise testing, changing treatment implications.
Ray N, Petty A, Money D et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Arrhythmic Risk Stratification According to LGE Corridors and Genetics in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
This multicenter European study assessed major ventricular arrhythmic events in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy by combining cardiac MRI late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) “corridors” with high-risk genotypes from genetic testing. Patients with LGE corridors plus high-risk genotypes had higher risk of major ventricular arrhythmias than those without this combined risk profile. The results are important scientifically and clinically because they refine arrhythmic risk stratification by integrating specific CMR fibrosis patterns with genotype-based risk.
Ramos-López N, Mora-Ayestarán N, Ochoa JP et al. · Circulation · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Not So Innocent After All: Cardiomyopathy Induced by ‘Benign’ Premature Atrial Contractions.
This case report studied a 36-year-old man with severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction attributed to a high burden of “benign” premature atrial contractions (PACs). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging excluded ischemic, infiltrative, and inflammatory cardiomyopathies, electroanatomic mapping localized a single ectopic focus at the coronary sinus ostium, and radiofrequency catheter ablation was performed successfully. The significance is that frequent monomorphic PACs can induce arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy and that targeted mapping and ablation can be curative.
Aygün AA, Soysal AU, Durmaz EŞ et al. · Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Integration of Functional Mapping and Image-Guided Structural Information in Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation - Sense2 Mapping.
This prospective multicenter registry studied whether Sense2 mapping—integrating functional mapping with MRI/CT-derived ventricular scar information—improves outcomes in patients undergoing ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation for post-infarct VT. Compared with conventional ablation strategies, the approach used MRI/CT scar data to focus functional mapping and ablation targets, aiming to reduce protracted mapping and improve procedural efficiency and outcomes. The scientific significance is that image-guided structural information can be combined with functional mapping to optimize VT ablation strategy in post-infarct patients.
Papageorgiou N, Bangash F, Ladopoulou D et al. · Heart rhythm · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Remodeling & Function in Systemic Disease (CKD, Cirrhosis, Autoimmune)
CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF INCRETIN RECEPTOR AGONISTS: BEYOND GLYCEMIC CONTROL.
This review summarizes cardiovascular effects of incretin receptor agonists beyond glycemic control, covering GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), dual GLP-1/GIP agonists, and triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor agonists. It reports mediation analyses from major cardiovascular outcome trials indicating that glycemic improvement accounts for only about 15–20% of the reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events, with additional contributions from weight loss, lipid remodeling, blood pressure changes, systemic inflammation, and direct myocardial protection. The significance is that it frames mechanistic targets for cardiovascular benefit that may guide patient selection and future drug development beyond glucose lowering.
Ravic M, Srejovic IM, Milosavljevic I et al. · Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Sex differences in cardiac function and remodelling in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction across all stages of chronic kidney disease.
This retrospective LGECKD study compared cardiac MRI (CMR) measures of function and remodeling between females and males with chronic kidney disease (CKD stages 1–5) and healthy controls. Across CKD stages, the study found sex-specific differences in cardiac remodeling and cardiac function in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF phenotype). These findings support sex-tailored cardiovascular risk assessment and monitoring strategies for HFpEF in CKD using CMR.
Kamieniarz P, Plietz AS, Urbach LV et al. · The British journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Long-term cardiac remodeling after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement: a cardiac MRI study.
This prospective intra-individual study evaluated long-term cardiovascular effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement in cirrhosis-related portal hypertension by performing combined hepatic and cardiac MRI before and 1 year after TIPS. Using CMR volumetry, functional assessment, strain analysis, T1/T2 mapping, edema assessment, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), the study quantified post-TIPS changes in cardiac remodeling and myocardial tissue characteristics. These results clarify how TIPS influences cardiac structure and function over time, informing cardiovascular monitoring in patients with portal hypertension.
Vollbrecht TM, Mesropyan N, Chang J et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Circulating Biomarkers in Cardio-Oncology: Prediction and Prognostication.
This review studied circulating biomarkers used in cardio-oncology to predict and prognosticate cardiovascular toxicity from cancer therapies. It finds that cardiac troponins and natriuretic peptides are the most widely studied biomarkers, with troponins showing consistently strong prognostic value and natriuretic peptides showing more variable predictive performance, and it highlights limitations of biomarker-guided therapeutic strategies. The clinical significance is that biomarker selection and interpretation must account for performance variability and current evidence gaps when monitoring and managing cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicity.
Kim J, Lee B, White A et al. · Current cardiology reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI/CT Imaging Methods, AI, and Implementation
CORE: Suppressing Spurious Similarity via Confidence-Aware Prototypes for Few-Shot Medical Image Segmentation.
This paper proposes CORE, a confidence-aware prototype learning framework for few-shot medical image segmentation (FSMIS) designed to reduce false positives caused by spurious prototype-query similarity. CORE addresses two issues in prototype-based FSMIS: it weights foreground pixels by reliability to improve prototype discriminability and uses confidence-aware matching to prevent background regions from being incorrectly assigned to foreground prototypes. The work is significant because it improves segmentation robustness in low-annotation clinical settings where only a few labeled examples are available.
Xu C, Li S, Wang H et al. · IEEE transactions on medical imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Constrictive Pericarditis and Bilateral Pleural Effusions Unmasked in an HLA-B27 Positive Patient.
This case report studied a 40-year-old HLA-B27–positive man with progressive dyspnea, fevers, and cough to determine the cause of evolving constrictive physiology. Initial imaging showed acute pericarditis that progressed to constrictive pericarditis with bilateral pleural effusions, and after failure of medical therapy he underwent radical pericardiectomy with symptom resolution. The report suggests that HLA-B27 positivity may be associated with constrictive pericarditis, expanding the differential for CP in spondyloarthropathy-spectrum patients.
Villalonga M, Al-Dalakta A, El Roumi J et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Correction to: A 20-minute, free-running, whole-heart cardiac MRI to image myocardial injury following reperfused myocardial infarction: demonstration in a large animal model.
This item is a correction notice to a Radiology Advances article about a 20-minute free-running whole-heart cardiac MRI technique for imaging myocardial injury after reperfused myocardial infarction in a large animal model. It does not present new experimental results or clinical findings beyond amending the original publication. The significance is primarily bibliographic/technical accuracy for the reported cardiac MRI method and its described performance.
Radiology advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Current indications for cardiac magnetic resonance and cardiac computed tomography: a position statement from the Cardiovascular Imaging Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology.
This position statement reviewed current clinical indications and applications for cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and cardiac computed tomography (CCT) in patients across a broad range of cardiovascular diseases. It highlights that while CMR/CCT have expanded for anatomical and functional assessment, prognostic stratification, and therapeutic planning, access and implementation remain uneven across health care settings. The document is significant because it provides a structured, specialty-guided framework to improve appropriate use and equitable deployment of CMR/CCT in routine cardiology practice.
Antonio Parada-Barcia J, Rodríguez-Pérez Á, Eiros-Bachiller R et al. · Revista espanola de cardiologia (English ed.) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Unveiling the Unknown: A Case Report of Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma in the Heart.
This case report described a 66-year-old man with an incidentally found left atrial mass ultimately diagnosed as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) of the heart using multimodal imaging (echocardiography, CMR, PET-CT) followed by surgical excision and histopathology with immunohistochemistry. Despite initial imaging suggesting a benign lesion, pathology confirmed UPS and the patient developed postoperative right-sided heart failure, atrial arrhythmia, and recurrent skin ulcers requiring grafting. The report is significant because it underscores the diagnostic challenge of rare cardiac UPS and the need for careful tissue diagnosis when imaging is non-specific.
Alwaheidi DF, Wani ML, Patel A · Clinical Medicine Insights. Cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
CPU-based fast cardiac cine MRI segmentation using lightweight CNNs and knowledge distillation.
This study developed and evaluated CPU-deployable lightweight convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for fast cardiac cine MRI segmentation using knowledge distillation from a residual-encoder U-Net teacher (9.22M parameters). The teacher model was distilled into MobileUNetV2 (2.09M), MobileUNetV3 with squeeze-and-excitation attention (4.52M), and EfficientLiteUNet (5.08M), enabling rapid inference on CPU devices including web-browser deployment. The significance lies in making accurate cine segmentation practical in resource-constrained clinical environments without requiring GPU hardware.
Feng X, Singulane CC, Patel AR et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Congenital Heart Disease & Rare Cardiac Anomalies (including fetal/neonatal)
Optimisation of an Algorithm for Fetal Strain by CMR and its Use in Suspected Coarctation of the Aorta.
This study optimized fetal cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) strain analysis and tested its use for diagnosing suspected coarctation of the aorta (CoA) in fetuses at risk for postnatal CoA. In 42 third-trimester fetuses scanned at 1.5 T with Doppler ultrasound gating, left and right ventricular strain was measured using feature tracking and endocardial shortening, with strain analysis optimization via contour settings. The significance is that improved fetal CMR strain methodology could reduce false positives and improve detection accuracy for CoA prenatally, addressing a major limitation of current screening.
Fricke K, Piek M, Heiberg E et al. · Pediatric cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
ALCAPA syndrome: a rare cause of sudden cardiac arrest in adulthood?-a case report.
This 30-year-old adult case report described anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) presenting with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a 30-year-old white German woman. After immediate resuscitation and successful defibrillation, the patient was stabilized and the adult ALCAPA diagnosis was pursued using modern cardiac imaging. The report highlights that ALCAPA, though classically diagnosed in infancy, can present in adulthood with sudden cardiac arrest and requires prompt recognition and management.
Arnoldy C, Bansmann PM · Journal of medical case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Atypical Atrial Flutter Unveiling Cor Triatriatum Sinister in a Stable Adult.
This case report studied a stable 64-year-old man with asymptomatic atrial flutter to identify an underlying cause of atrial arrhythmia. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) excluded atrial thrombus and incidentally revealed a left atrial membrane, and cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed nonobstructive cor triatriatrium sinister (CTS). The report supports using TEE (and CMR for confirmation) in atrial flutter to detect rare congenital left atrial anomalies that can guide anticoagulation and cardioversion strategy.
Panjiyar B, Herrera AJ, Hermann J et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Topsy-Turvy Heart: Multimodality Prenatal and Postnatal Imaging for Clinical Management.
This case report studied prenatal and postnatal imaging of a fetus/newborn with “topsy-turvy heart” and an associated aortopulmonary window, using fetal echocardiography and fetal cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Multimodality imaging identified complex intracardiac anatomy and raised suspicion for associated airway abnormalities, and immediately after birth the newborn developed severe respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. The clinical significance is that coordinated fetal echo plus fetal CMR can improve pre-delivery anatomic characterization and perinatal planning for extremely rare congenital heart disease with extracardiac risk.
Meyer D, Geiger J, Weber R et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Long-Term Follow-Up With Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in 2 Patients With Isolated Left Ventricular Apical Hypoplasia.
This study followed two patients with isolated left ventricular apical hypoplasia using serial cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging over more than a decade. Both patients showed stable ventricular morphology and course across childhood into early adulthood. The long-term CMR follow-up helps clarify prognosis for this rare congenital anomaly and supports CMR as a tool for monitoring disease stability over time.
Isenia C, Hassing HC, Constantinescu AA et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Sarcoidosis (diagnosis certainty, outcomes)
Management and Outcomes of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Insights From the Nationwide MYSTICS Registry.
This nationwide multicenter retrospective MYSTICS registry study analyzed 1852 newly diagnosed cardiac sarcoidosis patients (2012–2021) stratified by diagnostic category (definite, probable, presumed systemic, presumed isolated). The registry characterized real-world management patterns and clinical outcomes, including recurrence, across these diagnostic groups. The large dataset improves understanding of how diagnostic certainty and treatment approaches relate to prognosis in cardiac sarcoidosis.
Izumi C, Yoshikawa Y, Komuro I et al. · Circulation. Heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiomyopathies & Genetic/Phenotypic Stratification (HCM, HHD, RYR2, congenital variants)
Impact of hypertrophic pattern and obstruction on cardiovascular magnetic resonance myocardial strain and left atrioventricular coupling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study.
This retrospective study of 199 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients used cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature tracking to test how different left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) distribution patterns and obstruction affect myocardial strain and left atrioventricular (LA-V) coupling. The key finding was that hypertrophic pattern and presence of obstruction meaningfully altered CMR-derived strain metrics and LA-V coupling. This supports using CMR strain and coupling measures to refine risk stratification and phenotyping in HCM beyond simple wall-thickness assessment.
Li Y, Li Z, Chen S et al. · Open heart · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Early-stage myocardial changes are not aggravated by Western diet or ageing in Mybpc3 c.2373insG heterozygous mice.
This mouse study tested whether Western diet feeding or aging worsens early hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) changes in targeted knock-in Mybpc3 c.2373insG heterozygous mice (Dutch HET), modeling a genetic “first hit.” Using cardiac phenotyping (including cardiac imaging/functional assessment as described in the abstract), the authors found that early-stage myocardial changes were not aggravated by Western diet or by aging at 3, 8.5, or 18 months. The results argue against Western diet and chronological aging as major second-hit triggers for early disease progression in this specific Mybpc3 genotype.
van den Dolder FW, Nollet EE, Warnaar VAJ et al. · The Journal of physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Focal Myocardial Fibrosis Mimicking Hypertrophy in INOCA and the Energetic Cost of Supranormal Ejection Fraction.
This JACC Case Reports report studied a 72-year-old postmenopausal woman with ischemia with nonobstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) to characterize the myocardial consequences of coronary spasm using acetylcholine provocation testing and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). CMR demonstrated focal late gadolinium enhancement in the interventricular septum consistent with replacement fibrosis that mimicked hypertrophy, alongside an extreme supranormal ejection fraction (79%) with reduced end-systolic measures. The case highlights that coronary vasospasm can produce focal myocardial fibrosis and altered cardiac energetics even when coronary arteries are nonobstructed.
Nguyen TH, Nakamura T, Sato A · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Pleiotropic Phenotype of RYR2 Exon 3 Deletion: Biventricular Noncompaction and Malignant Arrhythmias.
This JACC Case Reports article studied a 33-year-old woman with an RYR2 exon 3 deletion (E3DS) to document the phenotype of ryanodinopathy involving both structural cardiomyopathy and malignant arrhythmias. She was found to have biventricular noncompaction, sinus node dysfunction, and nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, later developing persistent postpartum bradyarrhythmia with complete supranodal atrioventricular block and extensive right atrial low-voltage areas on electrophysiology study. The report underscores that RYR2 E3DS can present with combined cardiomyopathy and high-risk conduction/arrhythmia disease, informing surveillance and management in affected patients.
Faucher L, Cardi T, Fitouchi S et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A Multitask Deep Learning Pipeline for Classifying Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Hypertensive Heart Disease Based on Native T1 Mapping.
This retrospective single-center study developed and evaluated a multitask deep learning pipeline to classify hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) versus hypertensive heart disease (HHD) using native T1 mapping from 3.0-T modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) CMR. Using 174 patients (121 HCM, 53 HHD) with a two-stage protocol separating model selection from patient-level stratified fivefold cross-validation, the multitask model improved discrimination beyond reliance on global T1 values alone. Clinically, this supports an automated CMR-based approach to resolve a common diagnostic overlap between HCM and HHD using native T1 maps.
Zhu H, Qian Y, Yang X et al. · Journal of imaging informatics in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Stroke-Related Cardiac Substrate & Monitoring (ESUS, post-stroke rhythm)
Sex Differences in Cardiac Rhythm and Conduction Abnormalities After Noncardioembolic Ischemic Stroke.
This single-center cohort study screened 7113 patients with first acute ischemic stroke and included 673 patients with noncardioembolic AIS without prior cardiac disease to evaluate sex differences in newly diagnosed cardiac rhythm and conduction abnormalities within 1 year. The study found sex-specific differences in the incidence of post-stroke cardiac rhythm/conduction abnormalities among women versus men. These results emphasize that post-stroke cardiac monitoring strategies may need to consider sex differences even in patients without known pre-existing heart disease.
Schmick A, Rohner MH, Gebhard C et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Left Atrial Strain Impairment in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized studies (through July 2026) evaluating left atrial (LA) strain in embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) using speckle-tracking echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance. Across included studies (7 total; 5 with extractable quantitative data; total n=656 for meta-analysis), LA strain impairment was assessed across all three LA strain phases as a marker of atrial cardiomyopathy independent of atrial fibrillation. The findings support LA strain as a sensitive, noninvasive biomarker for subclinical atrial dysfunction that may help identify ESUS embolic substrates.
Thapa S, Shah S, Fnu P et al. · Cardiology in review · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Pulmonary Hypertension & Right Ventricular Remodeling (CTEPH/PAH)
Cardiac morphology in children at 2 and 10 years of age after congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair: a comparative MRI-based analysis of ECMO and non-ECMO patients.
This retrospective MRI-based comparative study evaluated cardiac morphology in children after congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) repair, comparing ECMO-treated (n=31) versus non-ECMO-treated (n=26) patients at 2 and 10 years. Using MRI-derived morphological parameters, the study assessed differences between groups and their temporal relationship with later development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The results help define long-term cardiac remodeling patterns associated with severe CDH requiring ECMO and may improve prognostication for PAH risk.
Jawhar S, Thater G, Appelhaus S et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Right ventricular adaptation after pulmonary endarterectomy and balloon pulmonary angioplasty in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a comparative cardiac MRI-based study.
This prospective multicenter cohort study compared right ventricular (RV) adaptation after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) versus balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) using cardiac MRI alongside right heart catheterization, exercise testing, and biomarkers. It evaluated haemodynamic, functional, and structural changes with emphasis on RV reverse remodeling between the two treatment strategies. The findings are clinically significant because they help determine which intervention better promotes RV recovery, informing treatment selection in CTEPH.
Rodenburg TC, Higuchi S, Andersen S et al. · The European respiratory journal · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Association Between MRI-Derived Right-to-Left Ventricular Volume Ratio and Regional Left Ventricular Myocardial Dysfunction in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.
This retrospective study examined whether the MRI-derived right-to-left ventricular end-diastolic volume ratio (RV/LV) is associated with regional left ventricular (LV) myocardial dysfunction in 188 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients, with 81 matched controls. Patients with elevated RV/LV ratio (≥1.27) showed different LV regional strain patterns compared with those with normal ratio (<1.27), and the analysis explored mediating pathways linking RV dilation to LV dysfunction. The work is important because it extends the prognostic/structural value of RV/LV beyond RV remodeling to characterize LV impairment mechanisms in PAH.
Fang H, Li Y, Wang J et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Myocarditis & Inflammatory Myocardial Disease (pediatric and lupus)
Persistent long-term subclinical myocardial changes in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children revealed by cardiac magnetic resonance and galectin-3.
This study evaluated long-term myocardial structure and function in children after multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and two-dimensional echocardiography, alongside serum galectin-3 measurements. It found persistent subclinical myocardial changes on CMR long after the acute MIS-C phase, with galectin-3 used to probe ongoing inflammation/fibrosis. These findings suggest that MIS-C can leave durable myocardial injury detectable by CMR and that galectin-3 may help risk-stratify children for longer-term cardiac follow-up.
Ov SK, Pilania RK, Semwal R et al. · World journal of clinical pediatrics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Characterizing systemic lupus erythematosus associated myocarditis: From rare clinical disease to subclinical involvement.
This study characterized lupus-related myocarditis (LM) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using retrospective analysis of the AQUILES tertiary-care registry (n=534) and a systematic literature review (1990–Feb 2026). LM occurred in 2.8% of AQUILES patients (19 episodes in 15 patients) and the pooled frequency across studies was ~1.7%, with a spectrum spanning clinical and subclinical involvement and associated diagnostic findings and outcomes. The findings are clinically important because they quantify LM burden in SLE and clarify the diagnostic/clinical spectrum needed to detect and manage both overt and subclinical cardiac involvement.
Narváez J, de Daniel-Bisbe L, Capdevila O et al. · Autoimmunity reviews · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Pediatric Myocarditis: Contemporary Insights Into Viral and Immune-Mediated Pathobiology, Precision Diagnostics, Advanced Multimodality Imaging, Risk Stratification, and Evolving Therapeutic Strategies.
This review studied the heterogeneous pathobiology of pediatric myocarditis in children, focusing on viral triggers, immune-mediated mechanisms, host genetic susceptibility, and myocardial repair, and it discusses precision diagnostics and multimodality imaging for risk stratification and therapy. It finds that pediatric myocarditis is not a single viral entity but a spectrum driven by interactions among infectious triggers, innate/adaptive immune responses, genetic susceptibility, and repair pathways, with additional clinical phenotypes such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and vaccine-associated myocarditis. Clinically, this supports more tailored diagnostic evaluation and evolving therapeutic strategies rather than treating all pediatric myocarditis as uniformly viral.
Fatima H, Rana MA, Asghar T et al. · Cardiology in review · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Pericardial Disease & Constrictive Pericarditis (including infectious/other causes)
Comparative Discriminatory Ability of Body Mass Index, Percent Body Fat, Waist Circumference, and Waist-to-Height Ratio for Cardiometabolic Risk Among Korean Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2024.
This cross-sectional KNHANES 2024 study in 2412 Korean adults aged 40–64 years compared cardiometabolic risk discrimination among body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (PBF), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Cardiometabolic risk was defined as having at least two of four abnormalities (elevated blood pressure, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL cholesterol), and the study used survey-weighted logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses to compare discriminatory ability. The findings are significant because they identify which anthropometric measure best flags cardiometabolic risk in Korean adults, informing screening and prevention strategies.
Park E · Biological research for nursing · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Disseminated meningococcal infection presenting with constrictive pericarditis and bilateral septic arthritis without meningitis: A case report.
This case report studied a previously healthy vaccinated man in his 50s with disseminated meningococcal infection presenting with constrictive pericarditis and bilateral septic arthritis without meningitis. Blood cultures grew Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W while cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, and pericardial fluid cultures were negative, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated constrictive pericarditis. The report highlights that invasive meningococcal disease can present with extra-meningeal complications and constrictive physiology even without meningitis, emphasizing the diagnostic value of CMR in atypical presentations.
Binidris M, Shehata M, Mahfouz A et al. · SAGE open medical case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Epicardial Lipomatosis as a Cause of Constrictive Pericarditis.
This case report studied two patients with constrictive pericarditis caused by epicardial lipomatosis, evaluating how multimodality imaging established the diagnosis. Transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated diffuse epicardial fat, leading to conservative management with optimization of heart failure therapy and dialysis strategy. The clinical significance is that epicardial lipomatosis—though rare—can be a missed cause of constrictive pericarditis and should be considered when imaging shows diffuse epicardial fat.
Raval PA, Odhiambo JO, Ombati K et al. · Case reports in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Valvular Heart Disease (Aortic stenosis, Mitral valve prolapse)
Moderate aortic stenosis: diagnostic pitfalls and the role of multimodality imaging in risk stratification and clinical management.
This review studied diagnostic pitfalls in moderate aortic stenosis and how multimodality imaging can improve risk stratification and management in patients with non-severe (moderate) aortic stenosis. It finds that standard echocardiographic parameters can misclassify severity and that advanced imaging—particularly computed tomography aortic valve calcium scoring and other multimodality approaches—better reflects true disease burden and predicts morbidity/mortality even before progression to severe disease. Scientifically and clinically, it argues for more accurate staging using multimodality imaging (and emerging AI-supported strategies) to guide closer follow-up and management decisions.
Santangelo G, Maloberti A, Tognola C et al. · Cardiovascular ultrasound · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Circulating Biomarkers Related to Mitral Valve Prolapse: Current Evidence and Mechanistic Perspective.
This review studied circulating biomarkers in mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and their mechanistic links to myocardial stress, fibrosis/extracellular matrix remodeling, inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation. It finds that natriuretic peptides are the most validated circulating biomarkers in MVP, consistently predicting adverse outcomes and potentially informing timing of surgical intervention. Clinically, this supports incorporating biomarker data alongside imaging to refine individualized risk assessment and management in MVP.
Maries L, Songsangjinda T, Shah DJ · Current cardiology reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Generated automatically on September 11, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published September 04, 2026 – September 11, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.