What's New in Cardiac MRI? — September 14, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 58 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
September 14, 2026 · 58 articles · 14 research themes · covering September 07, 2026 – September 14, 2026
Overview
This week’s digest is dominated by a clear convergence of (1) advanced cardiac imaging—especially CMR/CT tissue characterization and strain—and (2) risk stratification for arrhythmias, heart failure, and progression in heterogeneous cardiac diseases. Multiple studies and reviews emphasize that “standard” clinical measures can miss clinically important substrates: CMR T2 edema burden improves early risk prediction in Takotsubo syndrome; CMR native T1/tissue metrics help identify high-risk asymptomatic ATTR cardiomyopathy patients; and multimodality imaging refines severity assessment in conditions like moderate aortic stenosis and cardiac amyloidosis with valvular overlap. Across these, imaging is increasingly framed as a quantitative biomarker pipeline rather than a purely diagnostic tool.
A second major theme is the biology of risk—particularly inflammation and remodeling—linking systemic or latent processes to cardiac outcomes. Work on latent CMV highlights immune activation during post-MI remodeling; narrative and cohort evidence across pediatric myocarditis, MIS-C, and lupus myocarditis underscores heterogeneity and the value of combining imaging with biomarkers (e.g., galectin-3) to detect incomplete recovery. In parallel, sarcoidosis registries and studies of device-detected ventricular arrhythmias show how guideline categories and real-world data can be leveraged to better predict sudden cardiac death risk.
Finally, several articles illustrate how modern analytics and engineering are moving cardiac care toward broader accessibility and earlier detection. AI/ML and lightweight model development target practical deployment of cine MRI segmentation and robust motion estimation, while imaging-guided and genetics-integrated models (e.g., combining LGE “corridors” with high-risk genotypes) improve arrhythmic risk prediction in nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Together with ongoing work on sex-specific cardiovascular risk after stroke and in CKD, the overall message is that precision cardiology is becoming more multimodal, more quantitative, and more personalized—spanning imaging, biomarkers, and patient-level risk modeling.
Cardiovascular effects of metabolic/obesity & incretin therapies
Cardiovascular Effects of Chronic GIPR and GLP-1R Agonism in Lean and Diet-Induced Obese Mice: Sex Differences and Dose-Dependent Remodeling.
This preclinical study tested continuous GIPR or GLP-1R agonist infusion in male and female lean and diet-induced obese mice across multiple doses (0.1–1.0 mg/kg/day) to assess short-term cardiovascular effects and sex-specific cardiac remodeling. The abstract indicates dose-dependent remodeling patterns and sex differences in cardiovascular responses to GIPR versus GLP-1R stimulation. These findings help clarify how targeting GIPR may differ from GLP-1R in cardiovascular risk modulation relevant to obesity and type 2 diabetes therapies.
Göktaş SŞ, Francisco A, Duarte JMN et al. · American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 cardiac magnetic resonance study assessed whether serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) predicts right ventricular dysfunction and right ventricular–pulmonary artery (RV-PA) uncoupling in acute heart failure. In 479 consecutive acute heart failure patients who underwent CMR, CA125 was evaluated against CMR-defined RVD (RV ejection fraction <45%) and RV-PA uncoupling (RV stroke volume/RV end-systolic volume <1) using ROC analysis and multivariable logistic regression. The clinical significance is that a blood biomarker like CA125 could provide a simpler surrogate for CMR-derived RV phenotypes that are linked to prognosis in acute heart failure.
Valero E, de la Espriella R, Miñana G et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF INCRETIN RECEPTOR AGONISTS: BEYOND GLYCEMIC CONTROL.
This review evaluated cardiovascular effects of incretin receptor agonists across three pharmacologic tiers (GLP-1 receptor agonists, dual GLP-1/GIP agonists, and unimolecular triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor agonists) and focused on mechanisms beyond glycemic control in the context of major cardiovascular outcome trials. Mediation analyses indicated that glycemic improvement explained less than 15–20% of the reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events, with the remainder attributed to weight loss, lipid remodeling, blood pressure lowering, systemic inflammation reduction, and direct myocardial protection. These findings support a multi-pathway, cardiometabolic mechanism of benefit for incretin therapies that extends beyond glucose lowering and may inform future drug development and risk stratification.
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 study analyzed sex differences in cardiac function and remodeling across CKD stages 1–5 in 84 sex-matched patients plus 28 healthy controls, using comprehensive cardiac MRI (CMR) and statistical modeling (MANCOVA with confounder adjustment). The study found sex-specific differences in cardiac remodeling and function trajectories across CKD severity in relation to preserved left ventricular ejection fraction phenotypes. These results are important for tailoring cardiovascular risk assessment and management strategies for HFpEF and related remodeling patterns in men versus women with CKD.
Kamieniarz P, Plietz AS, Urbach LV et al. · The British journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Inflammatory cardiac disease (myocarditis, sarcoidosis, MIS-C, lupus myocarditis)
Cytomegalovirus Latency Fuels Inflammation Following Myocardial Infarction.
This study used C57BL/6J mice with latent murine cytomegalovirus infection to examine cardiac immune cell dynamics at baseline and after myocardial infarction (MI) repair. Using spectral flow cytometry plus bulk and single-cell RNA/T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing, the authors report that CMV latency promotes inflammation during post-MI remodeling. Mechanistically linking latent CMV to post-infarct immune activation supports the epidemiologic association between CMV seropositivity and worse cardiovascular outcomes.
Dapergola E, Šustić M, Ashour D et al. · Circulation research · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Septal Myocarditis Mimicking Proximal Left Anterior Descending Artery Occlusion.
This case report studied a previously well 21-year-old woman presenting with acute chest pain, marked high-sensitivity troponin elevation, and an anteroseptal ST-segment elevation pattern with conduction abnormalities. Coronary angiography showed nonobstructive coronary arteries, while cardiac magnetic resonance demonstrated focal septal edema with nonischemic late gadolinium enhancement consistent with acute myocarditis, mimicking proximal left anterior descending artery occlusion. The significance is that focal septal myocarditis can present with an MI-like ECG phenotype, so CMR is crucial to distinguish myocarditis from coronary occlusion and to direct appropriate management.
Jeong SY, Jayawardena SV, Seton N et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Management and Outcomes of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Insights From the Nationwide MYSTICS Registry.
This nationwide, multicenter retrospective registry study (MYSTICS) evaluated real-world management and outcomes of cardiac sarcoidosis in 2366 consecutive patients, focusing on 1852 newly diagnosed cases from 2012–2021 stratified by diagnostic certainty (definite, probable, presumed systemic, presumed isolated). The registry characterized treatment patterns and clinical outcomes, including recurrence, across these diagnostic groups. The findings are significant because they address uncertainty in diagnosis and heterogeneity in care for a rare disease, informing evidence-based management and follow-up strategies.
Izumi C, Yoshikawa Y, Komuro I et al. · Circulation. Heart failure · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Persistent long-term subclinical myocardial changes in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children revealed by cardiac magnetic resonance and galectin-3.
This study assessed long-term myocardial structure and function in children after multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and 2D echocardiography, and measured serum galectin-3 to explore links to persistent myocardial injury. The key finding was that MIS-C survivors can exhibit persistent subclinical myocardial changes on CMR beyond the acute phase, with galectin-3 providing evidence consistent with ongoing inflammation/fibrosis processes. Clinically, CMR plus galectin-3 may help identify children at risk for incomplete myocardial recovery after MIS-C.
Ov SK, Pilania RK, Semwal R et al. · World journal of clinical pediatrics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Constrictive Pericarditis and Bilateral Pleural Effusions Unmasked in an HLA-B27 Positive Patient.
This case report studied a 40-year-old man with HLA-B27 positivity who developed constrictive pericarditis after an initial presentation of acute pericarditis. Despite an extensive negative workup aside from HLA-B27 positivity, the patient progressed to constrictive physiology, failed medical therapy, and achieved symptom resolution after radical pericardiectomy. The report highlights a potential association between HLA-B27–linked inflammatory disease and constrictive pericarditis, informing diagnostic consideration and management decisions.
Villalonga M, Al-Dalakta A, El Roumi J et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Characterizing systemic lupus erythematosus associated myocarditis: From rare clinical disease to subclinical involvement.
This study combined an AQUILES cohort analysis (1990–2025) of 534 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with a systematic literature review (1990–Feb 2026) to characterize lupus-related myocarditis (LM) across clinical and subclinical presentations. The key finding was that LM occurred in 2.8% of patients in the AQUILES cohort (19 episodes among 15 patients) and that pooled frequency across studies was ~1.7% (with heterogeneity), defining a broader spectrum than overt clinical disease alone. The significance is improved understanding of LM frequency, diagnostic patterns, and outcomes, supporting earlier recognition and risk assessment in SLE.
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 narrative review synthesized contemporary evidence on pediatric myocarditis, focusing on viral and immune-mediated mechanisms, precision diagnostics, advanced multimodality imaging, risk stratification, and evolving therapies. The key finding was that pediatric myocarditis is heterogeneous, driven by interactions among infectious triggers, innate/adaptive immune responses, host genetic susceptibility, and myocardial repair processes, with additional clinical relevance from multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and vaccine-associated myocarditis. The review supports more tailored diagnostic and management strategies rather than treating pediatric myocarditis as a single uniform disease entity.
Fatima H, Rana MA, Asghar T et al. · Cardiology in review · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiomyopathies: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotyping & genetics
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: state of the art on diagnosis and current therapeutic approach.
This article reviews current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), emphasizing how modern cardiovascular imaging and genetic testing improve phenotypic characterization and risk stratification. It highlights the condition’s broad genetic substrate and clinical heterogeneity, ranging from asymptomatic disease to heart failure, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Clinically, the review consolidates state-of-the-art strategies to better diagnose, prognosticate, and guide treatment in patients with HCM.
La Franca E, Parisi F, Lucchino A et al. · Cardiovascular ultrasound · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Left Atrium Myocardial Remodeling and Prognostic Marker Derived from CMR Feature Tracking in Pediatric Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
This retrospective study assessed left atrial (LA) myocardial remodeling and prognostic value in pediatric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using CMR feature tracking (CMR-FT) strain analysis. In pediatric patients who underwent CMR from 2011–2020, LA strain parameters derived from CMR-FT were evaluated for association with adverse outcomes using Cox regression. The significance is that LA strain may serve as an early prognostic marker in pediatric HCM, extending adult CMR-FT findings to children.
Chen X, Tang Y, Ma X et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) feature tracking to test how left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) distribution patterns and obstruction influence myocardial strain and left atrioventricular (LA) coupling. Patients were categorized into four LVH patterns (P1–P4) and analyzed for differences in strain and LA coupling metrics, with obstruction considered as an additional factor. The findings are clinically relevant because they may refine risk assessment and phenotyping in HCM by linking specific hypertrophy patterns to measurable CMR functional abnormalities.
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 experiment used targeted knock-in Mybpc3 c.2373insG heterozygous (HET) mice to test whether Western diet feeding or ageing (3, 8.5, and 18 months) would trigger or worsen hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotypes. The key finding was that early-stage myocardial changes were not aggravated by either Western diet or ageing in Mybpc3 c.2373insG heterozygous mice. Scientifically, this suggests that metabolic stress and chronological ageing may not act as “second hits” for early HCM development in this specific ryanodopathy-independent Mybpc3 genotype model.
van den Dolder FW, Nollet EE, Warnaar VAJ et al. · The Journal of physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Oncology-related cardiac involvement (cardiac tumors, treatment cardiotoxicity, cancer imaging)
The changing therapeutic landscape of small-cell lung cancer.
This narrative review summarizes the evolving therapeutic landscape for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), focusing on how advances in SCLC biology are translating into new treatment strategies. It emphasizes that while chemotherapy responses are often transient and recurrence is frequently refractory, identification of SCLC cell-surface proteins has enabled targeted therapies with early evidence of efficacy. Scientifically and clinically, the article frames ongoing biomarker-driven approaches aimed at improving outcomes in this aggressive, heterogeneous cancer.
Ross JS, Hockemeyer KG, Redin E et al. · Lancet (London, England) · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Late Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity Mimicking Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy in a Young Adult.
This case report studied a 26-year-old man previously treated with childhood Burkitt lymphoma using doxorubicin (cumulative 120 mg/m2) who presented years later with exertional chest discomfort and palpitations. Despite a preserved ejection fraction on transthoracic echocardiography, imaging showed reduced global longitudinal strain and cardiac magnetic resonance findings consistent with late doxorubicin cardiotoxicity that mimicked arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. The clinical significance is that delayed anthracycline cardiotoxicity should be considered in young patients with arrhythmia/cardiomyopathy phenotypes, using strain imaging and cardiac MRI to avoid misdiagnosis.
Chedid M, Barrett C, Sun M et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Disseminated HIV-Associated Burkitt Lymphoma With Cardiac and Presumed Central Nervous System Involvement.
This case report studied a 52-year-old man with HIV who was diagnosed with Ann Arbor stage 4 HIV-associated Burkitt lymphoma with cardiac involvement and presumed central nervous system involvement. Imaging identified a right atrial mass and splenic lesions, with contrast echocardiography showing vascularity and invasion into the crux and cardiac MRI confirming atrial and ventricular septal involvement. The scientific/clinical significance is that multimodal imaging—including contrast echocardiography in resource-limited settings—can characterize rare intracardiac Burkitt lymphoma masses and guide diagnosis in HIV-associated malignancy.
Tsai D, Trilesskaya M · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 in 90 women with histologically confirmed invasive ductal breast cancer assessed whether baseline FDG PET/CT tumor burden and host metabolic activity (including metabolic tumor volume [MTV], total lesion glycolysis [TLG], and brain/bone marrow-to-liver ratios) plus inflammatory biomarkers and body composition predicted complete metabolic response (CMR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Baseline PET/CT-derived tumor burden and host metabolic/inflammatory measures were prognostic for achieving CMR following NAC. Clinically, these imaging and host-activity biomarkers could help identify patients likely to respond metabolically and potentially guide treatment adaptation during breast cancer neoadjuvant therapy.
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 ↗
EuroNet-PHL-LP1: complete resection or low-dose chemotherapy for pediatric low-risk nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma.
This prospective phase 3 trial (EuroNet-PHL-LP1) studied children and adolescents (<18 years) with early-stage nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (nLPHL) to test whether complete lymph node resection alone or low-intensity, anthracycline-free CVP (cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, prednisone) chemotherapy could replace standard approaches. The key finding is that the trial strategy used active surveillance after complete resection and 3 cycles of CVP for unresectable disease, aiming to maintain event-free survival while reducing treatment intensity. Clinically, it addresses de-escalation for pediatric low-risk nLPHL to minimize long-term toxicity while preserving efficacy.
Shankar A, Landman-Parker J, Mascarin M et al. · Blood advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Unveiling the Unknown: A Case Report of Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma in the Heart.
This 66-year-old male case report described an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) of the heart presenting as an incidentally found left atrial mass, initially suggested to be benign by multimodal imaging (echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and PET-CT). Histopathology and immunohistochemistry after surgical excision confirmed UPS, and the patient subsequently developed right-sided heart failure, recurrent skin ulcers requiring grafting, and atrial arrhythmia before stabilizing and starting chemotherapy. The report highlights the clinical importance of considering rare malignant cardiac tumors when imaging is indeterminate and underscores the need for tissue diagnosis in suspected cardiac masses.
Alwaheidi DF, Wani ML, Patel A · Clinical Medicine Insights. Cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac imaging innovation & AI/ML for diagnosis and workflow
The Exciting Future of Cardiovascular Imaging.
This perspective reviews recent advances in cardiovascular imaging modalities—echocardiography, CT, cardiac MRI, and nuclear imaging—driven by improved hardware, reconstruction algorithms, and artificial intelligence. It reports that these innovations collectively enhance diagnostic accuracy, risk stratification, therapy planning, and monitoring of treatment response across the imaging workflow. The significance is that AI-enabled, multimodality imaging is poised to improve clinical decision-making and longitudinal cardiovascular care.
Gräni C, Bucciarelli-Ducci C, Dweck MR et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Machine learning-assisted optimization of a BK7/Ag/As₂S₃/graphene surface plasmon resonance biosensor for high-sensitivity urine glucose detection.
This study theoretically optimized a multilayer surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor (BK7/Ag/As2S3/graphene) at 633 nm for high-sensitivity, non-invasive urine glucose detection, using electromagnetic optimization and a Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR) predictive framework. The key finding is that integrating an ultrathin As2S3 dielectric spacer and graphene sensing layer with machine-learning-based prediction improves glucose detection performance in urine. This supports a pathway toward more accurate, continuous glucose monitoring without finger-prick sampling.
Arun Kumar U, Alavudeen Basha A, Elshafie H et al. · Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
CORE: Suppressing Spurious Similarity via Confidence-Aware Prototypes for Few-Shot Medical Image Segmentation.
This study developed CORE, a confidence-aware prototype learning framework for few-shot medical image segmentation, targeting spurious similarity errors in prototype-query matching. CORE improved prototype discriminability by weighting foreground pixels by reliability and reduced false positives by mitigating spurious high similarity between query masks and background regions. The work is significant because it advances few-shot segmentation methods that require minimal annotations while improving robustness for clinical imaging tasks.
Xu C, Li S, Wang H et al. · IEEE transactions on medical imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Learning efficient non-rigid registration in k-space for accelerated Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
This methodological study investigated learning-based non-rigid motion estimation directly in k-space for accelerated dynamic MRI, addressing failures of conventional image-reconstruction-then-registration pipelines under heavy undersampling. The key finding is that k-space-based registration can improve robustness for high-temporal-resolution non-rigid motion estimation by avoiding reconstruction artifacts that corrupt spatial features needed for matching. This is significant for real-time and dynamic MRI applications where undersampling is required but reliable motion estimation is critical.
Ghoul A, Hammernik K, Lingg A et al. · Medical image analysis · (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 publication is a correction to a prior 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. The correction does not introduce new clinical findings in the abstracted text provided, but instead amends the original article’s DOI/record. The significance is ensuring accurate citation and traceability for the underlying large-animal cardiac MRI myocardial-injury methodology.
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 studied current indications for cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and cardiac computed tomography (CCT) by synthesizing evidence and clinical practice considerations for a broad range of cardiovascular diseases. The key finding is that CMR and CCT are emphasized as essential modalities for anatomical/functional assessment, prognostic stratification, and therapeutic planning, while noting uneven accessibility across healthcare settings in Spain. Scientifically and clinically, it provides a structured framework to guide appropriate use and improve implementation of advanced cardiac imaging.
Antonio Parada-Barcia J, Rodríguez-Pérez Á, Eiros-Bachiller R et al. · Revista espanola de cardiologia (English ed.) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
CPU-based fast cardiac cine MRI segmentation using lightweight CNNs and knowledge distillation.
This study developed and evaluated CPU-deployable lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) models for cardiac cine MRI segmentation using knowledge distillation from a residual-encoder U-Net teacher (9.22M parameters) into smaller student networks (MobileUNetV2, MobileUNetV3 with squeeze-and-excitation attention, and EfficientLiteUNet). The key finding was that the distilled lightweight models enabled fast, accurate cine segmentation on CPU devices, including deployment in web browsers, reducing reliance on GPU hardware for inference. This advances practical, resource-efficient cardiac MRI quantification workflows for broader clinical deployment.
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 ↗
Cardiomyopathies: amyloidosis (ATTR/AL) and valvular overlap
VALVE DISEASES IN CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS: WHAT WE HAVE TO KNOW.
This review focuses on valvular diseases in cardiac amyloidosis (CA), particularly aortic stenosis (AS) in wild-type transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis and the clinical impact of their overlap. It highlights that valvular involvement is common and can interact synergistically with CA to produce disproportionate ventricular effects. The significance is improved recognition and understanding of how amyloid subtype (AL vs ATTR) and valvular pathology jointly influence prognosis and management.
Lisi DD, Salvo FD, Castro F et al. · Current problems in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Regional Myocardial Tissue Characterization by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Is Associated With Heart Failure Development in Asymptomatic Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy.
This study investigated asymptomatic transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) patients to determine whether cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) myocardial tissue characterization predicts subsequent heart failure. Among 113 ATTR-CM patients (14 asymptomatic; mean age ~75 years), 6 developed heart failure over a median follow-up of 770 days, and those who progressed had higher left ventricular mass index and worse CMR native T1–based tissue characteristics than those who remained asymptomatic. The clinical significance is that CMR tissue metrics can identify high-risk asymptomatic ATTR-CM patients for earlier intervention to prevent heart failure.
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 evaluated wild-type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) patients starting tafamidis to identify clinical factors associated with atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction disturbances. In 50 patients undergoing baseline CMR followed by tafamidis treatment, the investigators assessed changes in AV conduction and IV conduction disturbances and related them to CMR parameters and other clinical variables. The significance is that CMR-informed risk profiling may help anticipate conduction disease progression in tafamidis-treated ATTR-CM, informing monitoring intensity and management of conduction complications.
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.
This prospective MoRBiDA study evaluated the diagnostic sensitivity of [18F]-florbetaben PET/CT (F-PET) for detecting cardiac involvement in treatment-naive AL amyloidosis. The key finding (as framed by the study objective and design) is that multimodality imaging using F-PET was assessed for sensitivity and correlations with established cardiac and clonal biomarkers to support early detection. Clinically, improved sensitivity for cardiac AL amyloid detection could enable earlier prognostication and better monitoring of response to therapy.
Milani P, Sanna GD, Pepe G et al. · JACC. Advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Arrhythmia risk, sudden cardiac death, and electrophysiology
Life-threatening Ventricular Arrhythmias in Cardiac Sarcoidosis with Implantable Devices: Incidence and Predictors in a UK Cohort.
This UK cohort study evaluated incidence and predictors of device-detected life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) who received cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) between 2006 and 2024. The analysis stratified patients by the 2014 Heart Rhythm Society ICD indication categories (Class I, Class IIa, or Neither) and assessed sustained ventricular arrhythmia as the primary endpoint. Clinically, identifying predictors of sustained VA across guideline-based ICD categories can refine sudden cardiac death risk management in CS.
Ahmed R, Paray NB, Azzu A et al. · Current problems in cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Unmasking the Connection: Cardiac Arrest in Stiff Person Syndrome.
This case report studied a man in his 30s with stiff person syndrome (SPS) who developed cardiac arrest during attempted extubation. The patient experienced whole-body spasms with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure followed by pulseless ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation, with transient severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction and elevated troponin after exclusion of coronary artery disease and pulmonary embolism. The report highlights that SPS-related autonomic instability and respiratory failure can precipitate malignant ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac arrest, emphasizing the need for careful peri-extubation monitoring and rapid management of SPS flares.
Sujanyal S, Alaws H, Helgeson SA · Therapeutic advances in pulmonary and critical care medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Sex Differences in Cardiac Rhythm and Conduction Abnormalities After Noncardioembolic Ischemic Stroke.
This study screened 673 patients (39% women, mean age 61.2 years) with first noncardioembolic acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and no prior cardiac disease to assess sex-specific newly diagnosed cardiac rhythm and conduction abnormalities within 1 year after stroke. The key finding was that women and men differed in the incidence/pattern of post-AIS rhythm/conduction abnormalities despite receiving standard post-stroke cardiac evaluation (including 24-hour in-hospital telemetry, echocardiography, and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring). These results support sex-specific risk stratification and follow-up for cardiac arrhythmias after noncardioembolic AIS 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 ↗
Focal Myocardial Fibrosis Mimicking Hypertrophy in INOCA and the Energetic Cost of Supranormal Ejection Fraction.
This JACC Case Reports report describes a 72-year-old postmenopausal woman with ischemia and nonobstructive coronary arteries in whom acetylcholine provocation testing demonstrated epicardial and microvascular coronary spasm. Cardiac magnetic resonance showed focal late gadolinium enhancement in the interventricular septum, confirming replacement fibrosis that mimicked hypertrophy, alongside a supranormal ejection fraction (79%) with reduced end-systolic performance. The case highlights that coronary vasospasm can produce focal myocardial fibrosis with altered energetic/functional metrics, informing long-term risk assessment beyond apparent preserved ejection fraction.
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 case report describes a 33-year-old woman with a pathogenic RYR2 exon 3 deletion (E3DS) who was incidentally found during pregnancy to have premature ventricular contractions. The key finding was a pleiotropic phenotype including biventricular noncompaction, sinus node dysfunction, nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and postpartum progression to persistent bradyarrhythmia with complete supranodal atrioventricular block, supported by electrophysiology study and cardiac magnetic resonance. Clinically, it illustrates that RYR2 E3DS can combine structural cardiomyopathy and malignant arrhythmias, warranting vigilant rhythm surveillance and early electrophysiologic evaluation.
Faucher L, Cardi T, Fitouchi S et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Exercise-Provoked Wide-Complex Tachycardia and Extreme Duke Score: Orthodromic Reciprocating Tachycardia Unmasked by Electrophysiology Study.
This case report describes a 44-year-old man who developed exercise-provoked sustained wide-complex tachycardia with left bundle branch block morphology during stress-test recovery. The key finding was that electrophysiology study unmasked orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia due to a concealed left posterior accessory pathway, despite initial concern for ventricular tachycardia based on wide-complex appearance and troponin elevation. Scientifically, it reinforces that stress-test wide-complex tachycardia can mimic VT and that electrophysiology study is decisive for correct diagnosis and management.
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 Circulation study investigated major ventricular arrhythmic events (MVAs) in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy by integrating cardiac MRI late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) “corridors” with high-risk genotypes (HRGs) from genetic testing. The key finding was that arrhythmic risk stratification improves when LGE corridor presence is combined with HRGs rather than using either fibrosis pattern or genetics alone (details truncated in the abstract). Scientifically, it supports a combined imaging-genetics risk model to better identify patients at higher risk for ventricular arrhythmias in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
Ramos-López N, Mora-Ayestarán N, Ochoa JP et al. · Circulation · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Valvular heart disease (aortic/mitral) and imaging-guided management
Mitral valve prolapse: New clinical and scientific insights in 2026.
This 2026 review summarizes new clinical and scientific insights into mitral valve prolapse (MVP), including its two anatomical subtypes (Barlow’s disease and fibroelastic deficiency) and their distinct pathobiology. It emphasizes the “malignant” MVP phenotype involving bileaflet prolapse, mitral annular disjunction (MAD), and myocardial fibrosis as a substrate for ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The significance is improved risk recognition and updated diagnostic framing for patients with MVP using echocardiographic and related approaches.
Yamaguchi M, Madhyastha R, Furukawa K et al. · Journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Moderate aortic stenosis: diagnostic pitfalls and the role of multimodality imaging in risk stratification and clinical management.
This review article synthesized evidence on why moderate aortic stenosis (AS) can be clinically underestimated and emphasized the role of multimodality imaging for risk stratification and management. The key finding was that standard echocardiography has diagnostic limitations in moderate AS, and advanced imaging approaches—such as computed tomography aortic valve calcium scoring and other multimodality techniques—can better refine severity and prognosis. The review supports integrating advanced imaging (and emerging AI tools) into clinical decision-making for patients with moderate AS to identify those at higher risk before progression to severe disease.
Santangelo G, Maloberti A, Tognola C et al. · Cardiovascular ultrasound · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Congenital heart disease & rare structural anomalies (including fetal imaging)
Paradoxical Stroke via Persistent Levoatriocardinal Vein and Evaluation and Management Recommendations.
This case report studied an 80-year-old man with Parkinson disease, dementia, and prostate cancer who developed paradoxical ischemic stroke in the setting of a persistent levoatriocardinal vein (LACV). After CT angiography showed left middle cerebral artery occlusion and endovascular thrombectomy was performed, MRI demonstrated acute bilateral infarcts across multiple territories consistent with an embolic source, and echocardiography identified the right-to-left shunt mechanism from the LACV. The significance is that persistent LACV can cause paradoxical embolic stroke without established management guidelines, supporting the need for individualized evaluation and prevention strategies for LACV-associated shunting.
Tejan-Sie A, Rodriguez RT, Padgett L et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Optimisation of an Algorithm for Fetal Strain by CMR and its Use in Suspected Coarctation of the Aorta.
This fetal CMR optimization and diagnostic study enrolled 42 third-trimester fetuses undergoing fetal cardiac MRI at 1.5 T with Doppler ultrasound gating to assess whether ventricular strain measured by feature tracking and endocardial shortening can improve detection of suspected coarctation of the aorta (CoA). The investigators optimized fetal strain analysis (including contour settings) and evaluated left and right ventricular four-chamber strain as potential markers for true postnatal CoA. The significance lies in improving prenatal diagnostic accuracy for CoA by refining CMR-derived strain techniques that may reduce false positives and missed cases.
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 case report described an adult presentation of ALCAPA syndrome (anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery) in a 30-year-old white German woman who suffered out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. After resuscitation and defibrillation, the patient was stabilized and the report highlighted the adult diagnostic pathway using modern cardiac imaging. The clinical significance is raising awareness 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 ↗
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 analyzed cardiac morphology in 57 children after congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) repair, comparing ECMO-treated (n=31) versus non-ECMO (n=26) patients at 2 and 10 years of age. The key finding was that cardiac morphological parameters differed between ECMO and non-ECMO groups and were temporally associated with later development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This supports long-term cardiac monitoring after CDH repair and suggests ECMO exposure as a marker for later cardiopulmonary remodeling relevant to PAH risk.
Jawhar S, Thater G, Appelhaus S et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Atypical Atrial Flutter Unveiling Cor Triatriatum Sinister in a Stable Adult.
This case report describes a 64-year-old man with stable atypical atrial flutter in whom transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed prior to cardioversion. The key finding was incidental discovery of a left atrial membrane consistent with cor triatriatum sinister (CTS), confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance, with thrombus excluded on TEE. Scientifically and clinically, it underscores that CTS can present with atrial arrhythmias in asymptomatic adults and that multimodality imaging (TEE plus CMR) is crucial for diagnosis and safe cardioversion.
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 presents a fetus and newborn diagnosed with “topsy-turvy heart” (a rare congenital heart disease with axial rotation) and an aortopulmonary window using combined fetal echocardiography and fetal cardiac magnetic resonance. The key finding was that multimodality prenatal imaging identified complex intracardiac anatomy and supported high suspicion of associated airway abnormalities, which aligned with severe postnatal respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. The report emphasizes the clinical value of coordinated fetal echo and fetal CMR for anticipating postnatal complications in complex congenital heart disease.
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 case report studied two patients with isolated left ventricular apical hypoplasia using serial cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging from childhood into early adulthood. Over more than a decade of follow-up, both patients showed stable ventricular morphology on CMR. The long-term imaging course supports CMR as a practical tool for monitoring this rare congenital cardiomyopathy-like phenotype and helps clarify prognosis beyond short case reports.
Isenia C, Hassing HC, Constantinescu AA et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI/CT tissue characterization & risk stratification
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 MRI within 5 days of echocardiographic assessment, stratifying by presence versus absence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO). Among 249 patients (90.8% women; mean age ~70.6 years), those with LVOTO had distinct CMR and clinical characteristics including higher left ventricular mass, and the study evaluated both in-hospital and long-term outcomes. The significance is that quantifying myocardial edema burden and LVOTO status with early CMR can refine risk stratification and prognostication in TTS.
Cau R, Santoro F, Pontone G et al. · International journal of cardiology · (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 evaluated a multitask deep learning pipeline to classify hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) versus hypertensive heart disease (HHD) using 3.0-T CMR native T1 mapping from 174 patients (121 HCM, 53 HHD) acquired with a modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) protocol. The key finding was that the multitask model improved discrimination beyond global native T1 values by leveraging shared and task-specific representations from the T1 maps under a two-stage model-selection and patient-level stratified fivefold cross-validation design. Clinically, this supports more accurate CMR-based differentiation of HCM from HHD in settings where morphology and global T1 alone are insufficient.
Zhu H, Qian Y, Yang X et al. · Journal of imaging informatics in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance global T2 mapping in patients with Takotsubo syndrome.
This retrospective study evaluated prognostic value of cardiac MRI (CMR) global T2 mapping–derived myocardial oedema in consecutive Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) patients undergoing CMR within 30 days of admission. The key finding was that higher global myocardial T2 was associated with increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACE), with a data-driven T2 threshold derived from time-dependent ROC analysis. This suggests CMR T2 mapping can improve early risk stratification in TTS by quantifying myocardial oedema burden.
Kadoya Y, Lim J, Alaqaili M et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Echocardiography-based strain & functional phenotyping
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) can predict electroanatomical scar in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy undergoing catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia. Consecutive patients had segment- and layer-specific longitudinal strain (LS) measured by STE, then STE-derived strain patterns were matched to electroanatomical mapping data (using an 18-segment framework) to test predictive performance. The clinical significance is that STE may offer a practical, non-CMR alternative for identifying arrhythmogenic substrate and improving procedural planning when cardiac MRI fibrosis mapping is not feasible.
Gabrielli FA, Bencardino G, Ballacci F et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Left Atrial Strain Impairment in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated left atrial (LA) strain measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography and/or cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) across studies published through July 2026. The key finding was that ESUS patients show impaired LA strain across phases (reflecting atrial cardiomyopathy/subclinical atrial mechanical dysfunction) even when atrial fibrillation is not the primary embolic mechanism. Clinically, LA strain by multimodality imaging may improve identification of an atrial substrate in ESUS and help refine risk stratification beyond paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
Thapa S, Shah S, Fnu P et al. · Cardiology in review · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac remodeling & reverse remodeling across cardiopulmonary diseases
Long-term cardiac remodeling after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement: a cardiac MRI study.
This prospective intra-individual cardiac MRI study assessed long-term cardiac remodeling after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement in patients with cirrhosis-induced portal hypertension, comparing combined hepatic and cardiac MRI before and at 1 year post-TIPS. Cardiac MRI included volumetric/functional measures, strain, T1/T2 mapping, myocardial edema, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), enabling evaluation of changes in myocardial structure and function over time. The significance is that it provides mechanistic, imaging-based evidence for how TIPS affects cardiovascular remodeling in portal hypertension patients.
Vollbrecht TM, Mesropyan N, Chang J et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Environmental & lifestyle epidemiology (e.g., light exposure, anthropometrics)
Nighttime light exposure and cardiac structure and function.
This population-based cohort study used 11,071 UK Biobank participants who wore wrist accelerometers with light sensors for 7 days to quantify nighttime light exposure (>3 lux) and then performed CMR 3 years later, linking exposure to cardiac structure/function phenotypes and incident cardiovascular disease outcomes. Nighttime light exposure showed dose-response associations with CMR-derived cardiac phenotypes and with subsequent cardiovascular outcomes. The significance is that it provides epidemiologic evidence connecting environmental light exposure to measurable cardiac changes, supporting potential public-health interventions to reduce CVD risk.
Dai J, Dai W, Heianza Y et al. · European heart journal · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
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 analysis of 2412 Korean adults aged 40–64 years from the KNHANES 2024 compared how well body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (PBF), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) discriminate cardiometabolic risk. The key finding was that among these anthropometric measures, one or more indicators showed superior discriminatory ability for cardiometabolic risk defined as ≥2 of elevated blood pressure, hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, and low HDL-C. Identifying the best-performing obesity metric can improve screening and risk stratification for cardiometabolic disease in Korean adults.
Park E · Biological research for nursing · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Pulmonary hypertension & right-heart dysfunction (CTEPH/PAH)
Right ventricular adaptation after pulmonary endarterectomy and balloon pulmonary angioplasty in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a comparative cardiac MRI-based study.
This prospective multicentre cohort study evaluated right ventricular (RV) haemodynamic, functional, and structural reverse remodelling in 93 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA; n=50) versus balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA; n=43) using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, right heart catheterisation, exercise testing, and biomarkers. The key finding was that RV adaptation differed between PEA and BPA, with comparative CMR-based evidence of distinct patterns of RV reverse remodelling after each intervention. These results support CMR- and catheterisation-guided selection and follow-up strategies to optimize RV recovery in CTEPH patients treated with PEA or BPA.
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 assessed whether an MRI-derived right-to-left ventricular volume ratio (RV/LV end-diastolic volume ratio) is associated with regional left ventricular (LV) myocardial dysfunction in 188 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients, compared with 81 age- and sex-matched controls. Patients with elevated RV/LV ratio (≥1.27) showed worse LV dysfunction patterns, and the analysis focused on regional strain relationships and potential mediating pathways linking RV dilation to LV impairment. The findings support using RV/LV volume ratio on cardiac MRI as a clinically relevant marker for downstream LV myocardial dysfunction in PAH.
Fang H, Li Y, Wang J et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Generated automatically on September 14, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published September 07, 2026 – September 14, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.