What's New in Cardiac MRI? — October 08, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 89 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
October 08, 2026 · 89 articles · 15 research themes · covering October 01, 2026 – October 08, 2026
Overview
This week’s papers converge on a clear direction: cardiac imaging is moving from “what does the heart look like?” toward “what is happening biologically, and what will happen clinically?” Multiple studies emphasize tissue-level quantification—ECV and fibrosis proxies, edema and inflammatory signatures, and scar characterization—paired with functional readouts such as strain, filling pressures, and intracardiac/4D flow metrics. These biomarkers are increasingly validated against reference standards (e.g., CMR vs CT or PET), and repeatedly linked to outcomes like heart failure, arrhythmias, and mortality.
A second dominant theme is risk stratification that is more personalized and mechanistic. Imaging is being used to phenotype specific disease processes (cardiac sarcoidosis, myocarditis, TB pericarditis, inflammatory cardiomyopathy, post-MI remodeling patterns, and nonischemic LGE) and to refine management decisions (e.g., CRT selection, LVT quantification, and right-heart congestion trajectories). Parallel work extends this precision beyond the heart—tracking systemic drivers such as HIV duration, glycemic status, cardiotoxic cancer therapy effects, and cardiometabolic remodeling—while also exploring how conduction disease and atrial dysfunction can confound or sharpen interpretation of imaging biomarkers.
Finally, the field is rapidly operationalizing these insights through better acquisition and AI-enabled workflows. Studies tackle motion/breath-hold optimization, protocol efficiency, and new reconstruction/quantification methods (including MT-aware fingerprinting and advanced CT/MRI enhancement techniques). AI appears not only in segmentation and continuous physiologic interpretation, but also in protocol personalization and “trust-guided” refinement—aiming to make advanced imaging more reliable, scalable, and clinically usable across diverse patient constraints.
Cardiac MRI/CT quantitative biomarkers (tissue characterization: ECV, T1/T2, edema, scar)
Young Mice Exhibit Increased Relative Ventricular Remodeling After AMI-A Longitudinal CMR Study.
This longitudinal CMR study compared left ventricular remodeling after permanent left anterior descending (LAD) ligation in young versus aged C57BL/6 mice, with imaging at 2, 7, and 28 days post–myocardial infarction (MI). The key finding was that young mice exhibited increased relative ventricular remodeling compared with aged mice over the post-MI time course. Scientifically, it highlights age-dependent differences in remodeling dynamics that can inform the design and interpretation of preclinical MI studies.
Lemcke H, Wörner P, Dalmer A et al. · Aging cell · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Deep Learning Predicts Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging From 3D Chromatin Images.
The study developed ChromAgeNet, an interpretable convolutional neural network trained on 3D DAPI-based chromatin architecture microscope images to predict hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) aging. ChromAgeNet learned spatial chromatin features that quantitatively track HSC aging and can serve as a marker of aging-associated chromatin architectural changes. This provides a scalable, image-based computational biomarker approach for measuring hematopoietic aging and potentially stratifying age-related risk or interventions.
Picazo PI, Mejía-Ramírez E, Di Bari D et al. · Aging cell · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Simultaneous 3-D Adiabatic T1ρ, T2*, and Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping for Characterization of Myocardial Infarction in Ex Vivo Mouse.
The study developed and validated a simultaneous 3-D adiabatic T1ρ-weighted quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) approach to characterize myocardial infarction (MI) in ex vivo C57BL/6J mice. In hearts from C57BL/6J mice with MI (n=7) versus controls (n=6), combining adiabatic T1ρ preparation with a 3-D multi-echo GRE acquisition enabled concurrent estimation of T1ρ, T2*, and magnetic susceptibility, with T1ρ maps derived from combined T1ρ–T2*–QSM. This technique improves quantitative, multi-parameter MRI characterization of infarct-related tissue microstructure in a preclinical MI model and may support more specific assessment of myocardial damage beyond conventional single-contrast methods.
Räty I, Nykänen O, Kettunen S et al. · NMR in biomedicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI-based strain analysis for the assessment of left atrial dysfunction in patients with atrial fibrillation.
This retrospective study assessed whether cardiac MRI feature tracking (CMR-FT) left atrial (LA) strain parameters detect early LA dysfunction in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Among 113 AF patients and 52 matched healthy controls, AF patients showed altered LA structural and functional measures (including LA strain components εs, εe, and εa), and the study aimed to identify the most sensitive strain indicators for early impairment. The findings are clinically significant because CMR-FT LA strain could enable earlier detection of AF-related atrial dysfunction than conventional static metrics.
Zhou H, Zhu D, Hao S et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A Comparison of Tissue Property Values Estimated Using Conventional Cardiac MRF and MT-Cardiac MRF.
This study compared cardiac magnetic resonance fingerprinting (cMRF) T1/T2 quantification using a conventional dictionary that ignores magnetization transfer (MT) versus an MT-cMRF dictionary that explicitly models MT effects in 14 healthy subjects (with supporting simulation and phantom work). The key finding was that incorporating MT modeling enabled accurate estimation of free-pool T1f/T2f and bound pool fraction (BPF) and improved agreement of tissue property values compared with conventional cMRF. Scientifically, this advances quantitative cardiac MRI by reducing bias in T1/T2 mapping when MT effects are present.
Kaplan S, Liu Z, Hamilton J et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance differentiates pediatric dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies.
This study assessed diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DTI) in pediatric patients to differentiate dilated versus hypertrophic cardiomyopathies using quantitative diffusion metrics such as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA). The key finding was that DTI-derived microstructural parameters could distinguish between the two cardiomyopathy phenotypes better than conventional approaches alone (as reflected by the reported ADC/FA differences). Scientifically, it supports DTI as a noninvasive tool for myocardial microstructure characterization in pediatric cardiomyopathy diagnosis and phenotyping.
Juárez JT, Tobón SH, Patrón Chi SA et al. · European journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
The feasibility of low contrast dose dual-energy CT for quantifying myocardial focal scar via extracellular volume fraction.
This prospective study assessed whether low-contrast-dose dual-energy CT (DECT) using late iodine enhancement–derived extracellular volume fraction (DECT-LIE-ECV) can quantify myocardial focal scar (MFS) in 33 patients with old myocardial infarction, benchmarked against cardiac MRI extracellular volume (CMR-ECV) and CMR late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). DECT-LIE-ECV showed quantitative agreement with CMR-ECV for measuring MFS and remote myocardium at matched slices, supporting DECT as a scar quantification approach. Clinically, low-contrast DECT could reduce gadolinium/contrast burden while enabling scar mapping for prognosis and treatment planning.
Chen F, Jia T, Luo L et al. · The British journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI/CT functional biomarkers (strain, flow, hemodynamics, filling pressure)
Regional strain patterns in patients with mitral valve prolapse.
This study evaluated regional contraction patterns in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) by using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature tracking (FT) strain analysis in 132 MVP patients compared with 50 controls without cardiac disease. It found that CMR-FT strain quantification can characterize MVP-associated regional myocardial contraction abnormalities relative to controls (using 1.5-T and 3-T CMR acquisitions). The scientific significance is that CMR-FT provides a noninvasive way to map regional functional changes in MVP, potentially improving phenotyping beyond echocardiography.
Li JJ, Ching S, Aigner A et al. · Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Noninvasive Diagnosis of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction Using the Left Atrioventricular Coupling Index.
This retrospective multicenter study evaluated noninvasive diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) using the left atrioventricular coupling index (LACI), comparing three imaging modalities in 1,680 patients from two academic hospitals/registries. LACI derived from left atrial minimal volume and LV end-diastolic volume showed diagnostic performance for HFpEF that could substitute for invasive right heart catheterization in selected settings. Clinically, this provides a more accessible CMR/echo-based pathway to identify HFpEF by reflecting LV diastolic dysfunction physiology.
Janssen-Telders C, Ābele J, Meijboom LJ et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Myocardial strain evaluation from cardiovascular MRI and CT: physiological principles and clinical perspectives.
This review synthesized physiological principles and clinical perspectives on myocardial strain measurement using cardiovascular MRI (CMR) and cardiac computed tomography (CCT). It highlights that local myocardial deformation (strain) reflects mesostructural fiber/sheetlet mechanics and can provide more specific functional insight than global indices. Clinically, strain assessment can improve diagnosis and monitoring across cardiac diseases by linking imaging-derived deformation to myocardial physiology.
Hussein TM, Pourmorteza A, Oshinski JN · The British journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Investigating Biventricular Intracardiac Flow Remodeling in Marathon Athletes With 4D Flow Cardiac MRI.
This study investigated biventricular intracardiac flow remodeling in marathon athletes using 4D flow cardiac MRI to identify hemodynamic imaging biomarkers of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling. The key finding was that 4D flow MRI can quantify ventricular flow components in marathon athletes and relate these flow metrics to markers of remodeling/functional adaptation compared with conventional imaging measures. The scientific significance is that 4D flow MRI may improve differentiation of exercise-induced remodeling from early cardiomyopathy by adding a quantitative hemodynamic dimension.
Tang M, Ren W, Liu G et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Incremental Diagnostic Value of Right Atrial Strain in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: A Cardiac MRI Study.
This cardiac MRI study evaluated right atrial (RA) phasic strain (reservoir and conduit) and passive emptying fraction in 38 arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) patients with preserved right ventricular (RV) function, 38 ARVC patients with reduced RV function, and 38 healthy controls. ARVC patients with preserved RV function already showed impaired RA reservoir and conduit strain and reduced RA passive emptying fraction despite preserved RA indices, indicating incremental RA dysfunction beyond conventional RV assessment. These findings support using RA strain on CMR to improve early risk discrimination in ARVC when RV function is still preserved.
Xu W, Zhao J, Song Y et al. · Academic radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Feasibility of 12-lead ECG reconstruction at rest and during adenosine stress perfusion inside a 3-Tesla MR scanner.
This feasibility study tested whether 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) can be reconstructed inside a 3-Tesla MR scanner at rest and during adenosine stress perfusion using an MR-compatible external device plus novel post-processing artifact removal. In-bore ECGs recorded with three MR-safe electrode patches were successfully reconstructed before and during adenosine infusion, enabling assessment of ECG features that are otherwise distorted in the MR environment. This is clinically important because it enables simultaneous MR perfusion imaging and ECG-based ischemia monitoring without relying on non-MR ECG acquisition.
Falconer D, Mehri M, Bhiri M et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Influence of left bundle branch block on left atrial strain parameters in patients with ischaemic and non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
This retrospective single-center CMR study assessed how left bundle branch block (LBBB) affects left atrial (LA) strain parameters in four groups: controls without dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) or LBBB (n=20), LBBB without DCM (n=21), DCM without LBBB (n=20), and DCM with LBBB (n=20). LA volumes and LA strain were measured semi-automatically using cvi42® and Segment® software, and the study specifically evaluated whether LBBB confounds LA strain metrics used for prognostication in ischemic and non-ischemic DCM. The findings are significant for improving the interpretability of LA strain biomarkers in DCM patients with conduction disease.
Petersen A, Kamieniarz P, Meteva D et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Semiautomatic method for peak velocity quantification using 4D flow imaging in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.
This single-center prospective study developed and tested a semiautomatic postprocessing method for measuring left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) peak velocity on 4D flow cardiac MRI in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with LV outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO). The new semiautomatic approach improved reliability and reproducibility compared with labor-intensive current methods for LVOT peak velocity quantification. If validated broadly, this technique could streamline 4D flow analysis and support more consistent LVOTO assessment for management decisions in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Desdoit X, Bouzerar R, Dantoing C et al. · European journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac imaging for inflammation and immune-mediated cardiac disease (sarcoidosis, myocarditis, TB pericarditis, inflammatory cardiomyopathy)
PET in Cardiac Sarcoidosis.
This review studied the diagnostic and prognostic role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET in patients with extracardiac sarcoidosis who have suspected cardiac involvement or suspected isolated cardiac sarcoidosis. It found that, with rigorous suppression of physiologic myocardial uptake and interpretation alongside myocardial perfusion imaging, patterns of 18F-FDG uptake versus perfusion defects distinguish inflammation without fibrosis, inflammation with fibrosis, and fibrosis alone, and that abnormal uptake—especially with perfusion defects—predicts major adverse cardiac events such as death and ventricular arrhythmias. The clinical significance is that standardized PET interpretation can guide diagnosis and risk monitoring in cardiac sarcoidosis and support treatment targeting of active inflammation.
Patel CD, Tilak A, Shiva C · PET clinics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Pediatric acute myocarditis: current evidence and practical recommendations.
This narrative review studied current evidence and practical recommendations for pediatric acute myocarditis in children and adolescents, synthesizing guideline and consensus data and weighted analyses from large pediatric cohorts. It reports that pediatric acute myocarditis shows male predominance and a bimodal age distribution, with an estimated ~5.9% risk of early mortality and frequent diagnostic difficulty due to nonspecific initial presentations and overlap with dilated cardiomyopathy. The significance is that updated risk stratification and management recommendations are needed to detect fulminant deterioration early and improve outcomes in this high-variability pediatric condition.
Mori S, Veronese G, Bonanomi E et al. · Trends in cardiovascular medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Inflammatory burden and oedema provide complementary information on subsequent pericardial tethering in tuberculous pericarditis: a longitudinal segment-level CMR study.
This longitudinal segment-level CMR study in tuberculous pericarditis assessed whether baseline inflammatory burden and myocardial/pericardial oedema predict subsequent pericardial tethering at 6 months. Segments with oedema and/or higher inflammatory signal showed different tethering trajectories, and inflammatory burden plus oedema provided complementary information beyond late gadolinium enhancement alone. The findings suggest CMR tissue characterization may help estimate disease stage/reversibility and refine prognosis in TB pericarditis.
Giliomee LJ, Doubell AF, Maposa I et al. · Open heart · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Recurrent myocarditis masquerading as acute myocardial infarction: unmasking Behçet’s disease.
This case report studied a 27-year-old man with recurrent myocarditis that clinically mimicked acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and was ultimately linked to Behçet’s disease. Serial cardiac magnetic resonance and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography showed a migratory pattern of myocardial inflammation with new lesions appearing as prior ones resolved, while recurrent oral ulcers, folliculitis, arthralgias, and pathergy-like skin reactions supported Behçet’s disease. The report highlights that in young patients with normal coronary angiography, recurrent inflammatory myocardial injury should prompt consideration of Behçet’s disease and targeted multimodality imaging rather than assuming coronary occlusion.
Atta M, Alqatati F, Alkhanafsa M et al. · Oxford medical case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Eosinophilia and the Heart: Evolving Concepts.
This review studied the evolving concepts of cardiac involvement in eosinophilia, focusing on eosinophilic myocarditis (EM) and related diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The key finding was that up to 43% of histologically proven eosinophilic myocarditis cases lack peripheral blood eosinophilia, and that interleukin-5 (IL-5) pathway abnormalities are central to EM pathophysiology, with emerging genetic susceptibility signals such as GPA33 and IRF1/IL5 in ANCA-negative eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. The review’s significance is that it reframes diagnostic strategy (not excluding EM when eosinophil counts are normal) and supports IL-5 pathway–targeted therapies as a rational treatment direction.
Habasko J, Kuchynka P, Bonatto ME et al. · Current cardiology reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Multimodality Cardiovascular Imaging in the Evaluation of Cardiac Sarcoidosis.
This review studied how multimodality cardiovascular imaging is used to evaluate cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), a granulomatous disease with high risk of atrioventricular block, ventricular arrhythmia, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. The key finding was that while endomyocardial biopsy has high specificity, sampling error limits sensitivity, so diagnosis typically relies on clinical criteria combined with advanced imaging such as cardiac MRI and positron emission tomography to detect inflammation and fibrosis. The clinical significance is that imaging-based strategies improve diagnostic sensitivity and guide risk assessment in a condition where missed diagnosis can be catastrophic.
Thomas KE, Wicks EC, Divakaran S et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cutaneous ultrastructure reveals potential biomarkers of ventricular arrhythmias in inflammatory cardiomyopathy.
This single-center pilot study investigated cutaneous ultrastructure as a potential biomarker of ventricular arrhythmias in inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM) complicated by ventricular arrhythmias (VA), focusing on desmosomal alterations in skin tissue. The key finding was that patients with ICM-VA showed skin tissue abnormalities consistent with desmosomal dysfunction, supporting a mechanistic link between intercalated disc/desmosomal pathology and arrhythmic risk. The significance is that accessible skin ultrastructure could help identify or stratify arrhythmia risk in ICM, potentially bridging inflammatory cardiomyopathy and desmosome-related arrhythmogenic disease biology.
Villatore A, Paolino G, Sergianni E et al. · Ultrastructural pathology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI Strain for Prediction of PET-defined Myocardial Inflammation in Patients with Cardiac Sarcoidosis.
This retrospective clinical study assessed whether cardiac MRI strain parameters predict PET/CT-defined myocardial inflammation in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. Using feature tracking on cine steady-state free precession images, it measured peak circumferential strain (PCS), peak longitudinal strain (PLS), and diastolic strain rates and tested their independent association with focal FDG uptake. If validated, strain-based CMR could provide a noninvasive imaging biomarker to identify active inflammation and guide management in cardiac sarcoidosis.
Firoozeh N, Shafiei M, Gulhane A et al. · Radiology. Cardiothoracic imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac MRI and C-reactive protein for predicting clinical prognosis of acute myocarditis in adults.
This retrospective study evaluated whether late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac MRI (cine, native T1/T2, post-T1 mapping, and LGE) and C-reactive protein (CRP) predict adverse clinical outcomes in adults with acute myocarditis (41 fulminant, including 17 without mechanical circulatory support and 24 with mechanical circulatory support; 35 non-fulminant). The key finding was that myocardial injury characteristics on CMR tissue parameters together with CRP were associated with prognosis in acute myocarditis, with differences considered across fulminant versus non-fulminant presentations and mechanical circulatory support status. Clinically, integrating CRP with CMR-derived injury metrics could improve risk stratification and guide management intensity in adult acute myocarditis.
Shi X, Wang Y, Zhang Z et al. · Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia as the first manifestation of probable cardiac sarcoidosis: A case report.
This case report described a 69-year-old man whose first manifestation of probable cardiac sarcoidosis was sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. The key finding was that the patient presented with high-rate monomorphic VT (>200 bpm) and was initially treated with intravenous amiodarone, with the clinical course supporting cardiac sarcoidosis as the underlying cause. The report is significant because it emphasizes that sustained monomorphic VT can be an early, high-risk presentation of cardiac sarcoidosis and should prompt consideration of inflammatory cardiomyopathy in appropriate contexts.
Sanusi M, Haddad F, Mohammed F et al. · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Inaugural complete heart block in anti-SSA negative systemic lupus erythematosus: the diagnostic role of anti-PM-Scl 100 antibodies.
This case report described a 21-year-old woman with anti-SSA-negative systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who presented with inaugural complete heart block (CHB). The key finding was that cardiac MRI and standard evaluation ruled out myocarditis/infiltrative and reversible causes, and the presence of anti–PM-Scl 100 antibodies supported an autoimmune etiology despite the absence of anti-SSA/Ro antibodies. The report is significant because it broadens the diagnostic antibody framework for adult CHB in SLE and underscores the need for targeted serologic testing in anti-SSA-negative patients.
Dammene Debbih N, Laouar L, Dekdouk N et al. · Lupus · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Troponin release, myocardial function and inflammation in patients with takotsubo syndrome: a cardiac magnetic resonance study.
This cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) study enrolled 94 patients with acute takotsubo syndrome (TTS) and related peak high-sensitivity troponin T release to myocardial edema measured by CMR T2 mapping and to systemic inflammatory biomarkers, with patients stratified by a prognostic troponin T cut-off (≥28.8× ULN vs <28.8× ULN). The key finding was the reported relationship between troponin release, CMR edema, and inflammatory biomarker profiles across the troponin strata. Clinically, linking troponin, edema, and inflammation in TTS may improve mechanistic understanding and risk stratification beyond transient left-ventricular dysfunction.
Arcari L, Camastra G, Ciolina F et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Clinical significance of incidental pericardial late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance.
This retrospective single-center study examined the clinical significance of incidentally detected pericardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac MRI in patients undergoing clinically indicated CMR, comparing those with incidental pericardial LGE to controls without LGE. Incidental pericardial LGE was associated with adverse long-term outcomes, consistent with the possibility of persistent subclinical pericardial inflammation rather than purely transient findings. The findings indicate that pericardial LGE should be considered clinically even when discovered incidentally, potentially guiding follow-up and risk management.
Lepre V, Moretto N, De Martino M et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac imaging for ischemia, infarction, and coronary disease (scar, microvascular dysfunction, ACS/STEMI)
Diagnostic performance of shuttle-mode myocardial CT late enhancement: Comparison with late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular MR.
This multicenter prospective study assessed the diagnostic performance of shuttle-mode dual-source cardiac CT myocardial late enhancement (CT-LE) against late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) for detecting myocardial infarction (MI) and estimating transmural extent in 56 patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. It found that shuttle-mode myocardial CT-LE provides diagnostic accuracy for MI detection and transmural assessment when benchmarked to LGE-CMR. The clinical significance is that CT-LE could offer a faster, CT-based alternative for evaluating MI extent in appropriate patients, potentially improving workflow in coronary disease imaging.
Kokawa T, Nakamura S, Nakamori S et al. · Journal of cardiovascular computed tomography · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Real-World Comparison of Cardiac MRI and Nuclear Perfusion Imaging for Myocardial Scar Detection.
This retrospective single-center study compared myocardial scar detection by cardiac magnetic resonance late gadolinium enhancement (CMR-LGE) with fixed perfusion defects (FPD) on nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) performed within 1 year. Concordance varied by modality and attenuation correction approach across SPECTAC, SPECTNoAC, and 82-rubidium PET, with CMR-LGE serving as the reference standard for scar. The results inform how closely nuclear MPI FPDs track CMR-defined scar and guide interpretation when CMR is unavailable.
Csecs I, Kyriakoulis I, Ahmed AI et al. · JACC. Advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Myocardial blood flow changes assessed by dynamic CZT-SPECT in patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy treated with Tafamidis: Correlation With [99mTc]-PYP Scintigraphy and CMR.
This study quantified myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) using dynamic 201Tl CZT-SPECT in 33 participants (19 with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, 14 without obstructive coronary artery disease) and examined correlations with disease markers including extracellular volume (ECV) and 99mTc-PYP scintigraphy. ATTR-CM showed microvascular dysfunction with altered MBF/MFR compared with non-obstructive CAD controls, and post-tafamidis flow changes were explored as a secondary analysis. The work supports dynamic CZT-SPECT as a functional imaging biomarker of microvascular impairment and treatment response in ATTR cardiomyopathy.
Ko KY, Ko CL, Su MY et al. · The British journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MR Characterization of Infarct-Related and Remote Myocardial Injury in Multivessel Disease After Acute Myocardial Infarction.
This retrospective study used cardiac MRI to compare infarct-related and remote myocardial tissue properties in 224 post–acute myocardial infarction patients with multivessel disease (MVD; 42 with complete revascularization) versus single-vessel disease (SVD; 90), with MRI performed 31–90 days after percutaneous coronary intervention. The key finding was that MVD was associated with broader myocardial injury patterns extending beyond the infarct zone, and these remote/infarct-related tissue characteristics varied according to revascularization completeness. The results are significant because they suggest cardiac MRI can detect diffuse post-AMI remodeling in MVD and may help refine prognosis and treatment evaluation beyond infarct size alone.
Luo C, Jiang W, Mo C et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Spectral cardiac CT in type 1 Kounis syndrome presenting as myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries following anaphylactic shock.
This case report described a 62-year-old woman with type 1 Kounis syndrome who developed myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) after anaphylactic shock. The key finding was that coronary CT angiography excluded obstructive coronary disease, while delayed dual-energy spectral CT demonstrated myocardial late iodine enhancement consistent with multifocal infarction, later corroborated by cardiac MRI. The clinical significance is that spectral CT can provide actionable evidence of myocardial injury in MINOCA during anaphylaxis, supporting timely diagnosis when conventional angiography is non-obstructive.
Hamrouni H, Alam W, Brahim LI et al. · Radiology case reports · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Photon-counting CT of midventricular takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
This radiology case report described a 63-year-old woman with acute chest pain and elevated troponin I after emotional stress who was diagnosed with midventricular takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Photon-counting detector coronary CT angiography (PCD-CCTA) excluded obstructive coronary artery disease and multiphase cine reconstructions characterized the midventricular circumferential hypokinesia with basal and apical sparing. The report is clinically significant because it illustrates how photon-counting CT can provide a rapid, high-resolution “one-stop” assessment in suspected stress cardiomyopathy.
Chikh Bakri I, Euler A · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Imaging-based risk prediction and prognostic models (scores, risk stratification, outcomes)
Septal Nonischemic Late Gadolinium Enhancement After Myocardial Infarction Is Associated With Adverse Remodeling and Improves Risk Stratification for Heart Failure Outcomes.
This retrospective CMR-based study analyzed 948 patients with prior myocardial infarction to determine the prevalence, anatomic distribution, enhancement patterns, and prognostic value of nonischemic late gadolinium enhancement (NI-LGE), defined as midwall or subepicardial enhancement, excluding myocarditis and nonischemic cardiomyopathies. It found that NI-LGE occurred in 8.2% of patients and was associated with adverse remodeling and improved risk stratification for heart failure outcomes using competing-risk analysis. The significance is that NI-LGE on post-MI CMR can identify a higher-risk subgroup for heart failure progression beyond ischemic scar alone.
Zhou P, Zhao K, Aisikaier K et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Adverse Remodeling and Fibrosis Predict Outcomes in Excessive Trabeculation of the Left Ventricle: A Multiparametric CMR Risk Score.
This international retrospective CMR study (589 patients with excessive trabeculation of the left ventricle, ETLV, across 17 centers) developed and validated a multiparametric CMR risk score to predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia, systemic embolism, or death. ETLV trabeculation-related morphologic CMR metrics and adverse remodeling/fibrosis features improved prediction of outcomes and provided incremental prognostic value beyond trabeculation alone. The work supports using a CMR-based risk model to better phenotype ETLV and guide surveillance or management intensity.
Casas G, Rodenas-Alesina E, Limeres J et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Inflammation, Infarct Size and 10-Year Mortality in STEMI Patients Stratified by the ORBI Risk Score: A DANAMI-3 Sub-study.
This DANAMI-3 sub-study examined 1,574 STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock to determine whether systemic inflammation and infarct size differ by ORBI risk score strata (ORBI ≥8 vs low risk). The key finding was that higher ORBI risk was associated with greater inflammatory marker burden (CRP, leukocyte count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and MR-proADM) and larger infarct size, translating into worse 10-year mortality outcomes. Scientifically and clinically, it links early post-PCI inflammatory physiology to long-term prognosis in STEMI, supporting risk stratification that incorporates inflammation beyond hemodynamics.
Kunkel JB, Lønborg J, Frydland M et al. · European heart journal. Acute cardiovascular care · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Graded MESA-LVH as a marker of left ventricular electrical remodeling: spectrum-based diagnosis, prognosis analysis.
This analysis studied 4,644 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) to test whether graded increases in ECG QRS amplitude improve diagnosis and prognosis for cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-defined left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The key finding was that a spectrum-based approach using graded MESA-LVH (and related ECG voltage indices) provided additional diagnostic and prognostic information for left ventricular electrical remodeling beyond binary LVH classification. The significance is that ECG voltage grading may serve as a practical, noninvasive marker of electrical remodeling risk aligned with CMR-defined structural disease.
Gouveia MCS, Felicioni SP, Bacharova L et al. · Journal of electrocardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
A new Dawn: Advances and innovation in heart transplantation part I - cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in heart transplantation.
This review studied how cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can complement echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy for surveillance of heart transplant (HTx) recipients, focusing on graft dysfunction from cellular rejection and antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and on coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV). It found that CMR’s expanding role as a non-invasive technique can improve detection and characterization of transplant complications beyond standard approaches. Clinically, broader CMR integration may enable earlier, more precise monitoring of rejection-related injury and CAV risk in HTx patients.
Sormani P, Ammirati E, Villaschi A et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Ventricular Arrhythmias in Marfan Syndrome: Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in a Multicenter Cohort.
This retrospective multicenter cohort study evaluated ventricular arrhythmias in 783 adults with confirmed Marfan syndrome across three Mayo Clinic sites using chart review data including echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), surgical history, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) data. The key finding was the identification of clinical and structural correlates associated with sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), with exploratory emphasis on CMR-associated features. Scientifically and clinically, defining these correlates can refine risk stratification and guide surveillance and ICD decision-making in Marfan syndrome.
Dreher L, Abdul Nabi H, Kanaan C et al. · Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Absence of Fibrosis Influences Prognosis of Cardiac Resynchronization in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated whether absence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) predicts outcomes in nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), comparing CRT with defibrillator (CRT-D) versus pacemaker (CRT-P) and assessing ventricular arrhythmia (VA) risk. The key finding was that lack of LGE (i.e., no myocardial fibrosis signal) is associated with better CRT response and lower ventricular arrhythmia risk. Clinically, CMR LGE status may help select patients who could safely receive CRT-P rather than CRT-D.
Sánchez-Vega J, Anguera I, Leyva F et al. · JACC. Advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Demographic and regional disparities in co-occurring diabetes and cerebrovascular disease mortality: A 24-year national retrospective analysis.
This 24-year retrospective national analysis used CDC WONDER death records to quantify U.S. mortality trends for diabetes mellitus (DM) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) co-occurrence from 1999 to 2023 and identify high-risk population and geographic disparities. The study found temporal and demographic/geographic differences in DM+CVD mortality rates, highlighting groups with disproportionately higher risk. The results are significant for targeting public health interventions to reduce preventable DM-related cerebrovascular deaths.
Faheem MSB, Hassan ST, Asghar T et al. · Journal of the National Medical Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiac MRI-Derived Right Ventricular Strain for Risk Stratification in Pediatric and Adolescent Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: A Multicenter Cohort Study.
This multicenter cohort study evaluated pediatric and adolescent arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM; ≤21 years) and tested whether cardiac MRI-derived right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) adds prognostic value beyond conventional clinical and CMR markers. The key finding was that RVGLS provided prognostic and incremental risk stratification for severe cardiac outcomes in this underrepresented age group. This supports incorporating RVGLS into CMR-based risk models to better identify high-risk young patients with ACM.
Xu W, Sa F, Song Y et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗
Characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography for suspected acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department.
This retrospective study evaluated 198 emergency-department patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) between 2020 and 2022. The key outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)—all-cause death, acute myocardial infarction, or myocardial revascularization—occurring in the cohort after ED CCTA (with patient characteristics and event rates reported in the abstract). Clinically, the study supports using CCTA in ED ACS pathways by characterizing patient risk and downstream outcomes to inform triage and management decisions.
Ciliberti G, Compagnucci P, Finori L et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗
MRI staging of haemodynamic congestion and clinical outcomes.
This European radiology study evaluated prognostic value of cardiovascular MRI–derived left ventricular filling pressure (MRI-wedge) and pulmonary blood volume index (PBVi) in patients staged into four hemodynamic congestion phenotypes (normal, isolated volume overload, isolated pressure overload, combined overload). Higher MRI-wedge and/or PBVi stages were associated with worse clinical outcomes and were linked with noninvasive markers of myocardial fibrosis. The work supports MRI-based hemodynamic phenotyping as a way to predict outcomes and to connect congestion physiology with underlying myocardial remodeling.
Mantini C, Sorella A, Falco D et al. · European radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Predictive value of myocardial extracellular volume fraction for mortality and heart failure in known or suspected coronary artery disease patients.
This retrospective cohort study assessed whether myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) measured by cardiac MRI predicts mortality and incident heart failure in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Higher ECV, reflecting greater interstitial fibrosis, was associated with increased risk of mortality and heart failure onset using Cox proportional hazards modeling. The results reinforce myocardial ECV as a clinically useful prognostic biomarker for adverse outcomes in coronary disease populations.
Krittayaphong R, Jirataiporn K, Yindeengam A et al. · European journal of radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Imaging methods, acquisition optimization, and reconstruction (protocols, motion correction, breath-hold, ECG in MRI)
A framework for increasing scanner efficiency: the utility of a ‘Short aorta’ protocol to increase cardiac MRI capacity at the Yorkshire Heart Centre.
This service development project studied how a “Short aorta” CMR protocol affects scanner efficiency and cardiac MRI capacity at the Yorkshire Heart Centre in the United Kingdom. It found that limiting the exam to thoracic aorta assessment (instead of the full aorta including aortic valve and left ventricle) enabled a 30-minute scan slot and reduced scanning and reporting times. The significance is that protocol optimization can increase throughput and access to CMR without necessarily changing the clinical intent of the aorta-focused indication.
Procter H, Tan JH, Cash L et al. · European heart journal. Imaging methods and practice · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Comparison of Deep Learning-Based Free Breathing with Conventional Breath Holding CMR for Quantifying Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.
This study compared deep learning-based free-breathing accelerated 2D SSFP cine imaging (Sonic DL Cine, GE HealthCare) and free-breathing phase-contrast imaging with conventional breath-hold CMR for quantifying degenerative mitral regurgitation in patients with degenerative MR. The key finding was that free-breathing acquisition using the Sonic DL Cine approach provided accurate mitral regurgitation quantification comparable to standard breath-hold CMR. Clinically, this supports broader use of CMR in patients who cannot reliably breath-hold, improving feasibility and potentially reducing motion-related measurement error in degenerative MR.
Chamay S, Horgan SJ, Animashaun IB et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
FOCUS-ischemia: A real-world comparison of an ischemia-focused analytical strategy and conventional multiparametric stress CMR.
This real-world comparative study evaluated whether an ischemia-focused analytical strategy (FOCUS-ischemia) preserves clinically relevant information compared with conventional multiparametric stress CMR for predicting downstream coronary management and clinical outcomes. In 717 consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated stress CMR, the authors compared performance of the focused strategy against standard multiparametric interpretation. The findings inform how stress CMR workflows could be optimized to reduce examination burden while maintaining prognostic and management value.
Chati Z, Balaj C, Tissier S · International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Optimization of Respiratory Training Methods for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
This prospective study in 93 patients undergoing 3T cardiac MRI tested different respiratory training breath-hold methods to reduce respiratory motion artifacts across sequences including single-shot fast spin-echo, SSFP-based acquisitions, first-pass perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement. The key finding was identification of an optimal breath-holding/respiratory training approach that produced better image quality by minimizing motion artifacts. Practically, optimizing breath-hold training can improve diagnostic reliability of cardiac MRI in routine clinical workflows.
Ma Z, Zhang X, Li G et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Performance of Free-Running Cardiac and Respiratory Motion-Resolved Whole-Heart 5D MRI in Congenital Heart Disease Patients Using a Gadolinium Enhanced Fast-Interrupted Steady-State Sequence.
This retrospective study evaluated gadolinium-enhanced free-running, respiratory motion-resolved whole-heart 5D MRI (using a fast-interrupted steady-state sequence) in 45 congenital heart disease (CHD) patients, comparing 5D performance against 2D and 3D bSSFP-based MRI. The key finding was the comparative performance of the gadolinium-enhanced 5D method in terms of scan time, ventricular volume/ejection fraction measurements, and image quality ratings. Scientifically and clinically, it extends 5D whole-heart MRI feasibility in CHD from ferumoxytol to gadolinium, supporting more efficient comprehensive cardiac assessment.
Roy CW, Vogeli E, Megalo A et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
AI/ML for cardiac imaging and workflow optimization (segmentation, reconstruction, protocol personalization, continuous monitoring)
Artificial intelligence in paediatric cardiac critical care: from predictive analytics to continuous physiologic intelligence.
This narrative review studied how artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and deep learning are being applied across pediatric congenital heart disease and pediatric cardiac intensive care, covering imaging, electrocardiography, predictive analytics, waveform intelligence, and postoperative outcome prediction. It reports that AI methods are increasingly used to extract clinically relevant signals from complex continuous bedside monitoring and multimodal cardiac data to support prediction and interpretation of physiologic instability and outcomes. These developments are significant because they point toward “continuous physiologic intelligence” that could improve risk stratification and decision-making in pediatric cardiac critical care.
Savorgnan F, Pilla P, Loomba R et al. · Cardiology in the young · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Heart rate fragmentation and variability from real-time cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging using TREND-CMR software.
This study developed TREND-CMR software to quantify heart rate fragmentation and temporal variability from real-time cardiovascular magnetic resonance (rtCMR) in subjects with irregular cardiac cycles. It found that temporal parameters extracted from rtCMR using principal component analysis, corroborated with ECG and left ventricular segmentation, enable visualization of aberrant heartbeats and adaptation of heart rate fragmentation (HRF) metrics to rtCMR data. The scientific significance is that TREND-CMR provides a framework for interpreting irregular cardiac physiology directly from rtCMR, potentially improving analysis of arrhythmia-related imaging.
Luan Z, Thornburgh C, Xu J et al. · American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Personalized Cine Cardiac MRI Protocol Optimization Using a Retrieval-Augmented Large Language Model: A Prospective Comparison With Technologist-Optimized Protocol.
This prospective intra-individual comparison studied whether a retrieval-augmented large language model (LLM-RAG) could personalize cine cardiac MRI protocols in 68 patients undergoing clinical cardiac MRI. The key finding was that AI-generated, retrieval-augmented protocol optimization was equivalent or noninferior to technologist-optimized protocols for cine cardiac MRI acquisition despite patient-specific constraints such as arrhythmia or limited breath-hold capacity. If validated in full results, this approach could standardize and improve cine CMR workflow by adapting scan parameters to individual physiology using LLM-RAG rather than static templates.
Dehghani S, Farashahi A, Hammood IR · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
T-FDR: Trust-guided frequency-aware diffusion refinement for reliable cardiac MRI segmentation under limited annotations.
The study proposed T-FDR (trust-guided frequency-aware diffusion refinement) for semi-supervised cardiac MRI segmentation under limited annotations, using a progressive refinement framework with trust-guided supervision, boundary-sensitive feature recovery, and latent semantic alignment. T-FDR improved segmentation reliability by suppressing unreliable pseudo-labels and better modeling boundary and semantic distributions in low-contrast cardiac MRI. This supports more accurate right/left cardiac structure delineation in settings where labeled data are scarce, improving downstream clinical quantification.
Chen K, Wei C, Yan Y et al. · Computerized medical imaging and graphics : the official journal of the Computerized Medical Imaging Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Congenital heart disease imaging and longitudinal trajectories
Successful staged anatomic repair for congenitally corrected transposition with both atrioventricular valves’ regurgitation: a case report.
This case report described a 4-year-old boy with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, dextrocardia, pulmonary valve stenosis, and ventricular septal defect complicated by mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed insufficient right ventricular volume for a Senning-Rastelli type anatomic repair, leading to staged palliation with a systemic-to-pulmonary shunt and mitral valve repair that improved oxygenation and promoted right ventricular growth. The report highlights how CMR-derived ventricular volume assessment can drive surgical staging decisions in complex congenital heart disease.
Fuchigami Y, Toda K, Hirano A et al. · General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery cases · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A Knowledge Graph Framework for Longitudinal Congenital Heart Disease Modeling: Methodology Corner.
This methodology paper studied how to model longitudinal congenital heart disease (CHD) trajectories from electronic health record (EHR) data using a knowledge graph framework. The key finding was the construction of a longitudinal knowledge graph integrating patients, encounters, diagnoses, and procedures to preserve disease progression context rather than relying on static feature representations. This provides a scientific foundation for trajectory-aware CHD analytics that can better support prediction and evaluation of staged interventions over time.
Xu H, Cunge L, Ming Z et al. · JACC. Advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Imaging the Adult With Secundum Atrial Septal Defect: A Practical Echocardiographic Approach From Diagnosis to Device Closure.
This narrative review studied practical echocardiographic strategies for adults with secundum atrial septal defect (ASD), emphasizing how to evaluate anatomy and hemodynamic significance for transcatheter device closure. The key finding was that because secundum ASD geometry is often non-circular, accurate assessment requires complementary imaging—typically combining transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with multiplanar 2D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and related measurement approaches. Clinically, this provides a workflow to improve measurement accuracy and procedural planning for device closure in adult secundum ASD.
Poyraz E, Asarcikli LD · Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Right-heart, pulmonary vascular disease, and pulmonary hypertension
PET Imaging in Pulmonary Hypertension.
This review studied how positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can characterize pulmonary hypertension (PH), with emphasis on pulmonary arterial hypertension where pulmonary vascular remodeling and right ventricular (RV) adaptation drive disease. It found that PET can detect early molecular alterations that precede overt RV dysfunction, complementing echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) which primarily assess structure/function and fibrosis. The significance is improved early phenotyping and potentially better monitoring of disease biology in PH using PET biomarkers.
van Leent MMT, St Hillaire T, Sivalokanathan S et al. · Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
The grey zone before pulmonary valve replacement in repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a paediatric perspective on the 2024 American Heart Association scientific statement.
This narrative pediatric perspective discussed the “grey zone” for timing pulmonary valve replacement in repaired tetralogy of Fallot, contextualizing the 2024 American Heart Association scientific statement’s expanded risk assessment. The key finding was that patients with borderline right ventricular indexed volumes (end-diastolic ~140–160 mL/m² and end-systolic ~70–80 mL/m²) lack a single threshold that clearly determines intervention timing. Clinically, defining this grey zone supports more nuanced longitudinal decision-making rather than relying on one measurement alone.
Ulug Murt N, Ramcharan T · Cardiology in the young · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
From snapshot to trajectory: A multimodality right-heart monitoring framework across the heart failure spectrum.
This narrative review proposed a multimodality, therapy-agnostic right-heart monitoring “snapshot-to-trajectory” framework across the heart failure spectrum (HFrEF, HFmrEF, HFpEF), using SGLT2 inhibition/dapagliflozin as an example. It integrates serial clinical status, biomarkers, echocardiography, and cardiac MRI to track evolving right ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary vascular load, tricuspid regurgitation, and venous congestion over time. The framework aims to improve longitudinal prognostication and management decisions by shifting monitoring from predominantly left-ventricle–centered assessment to right-heart trajectories.
Albulushi A, Al Habsi M, Al-Kharusi A · American heart journal plus : cardiology research and practice · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac masses and rare cardiac conditions (tumors, hydatid disease, myxoma, intracardiac masses)
Inferior vena cava hyperechoic structure in a patient with cardiac myxoma: a surgical case report and literature review.
This surgical case report studied a 62-year-old woman with an inferior vena cava (IVC) hyperechoic structure on echocardiography in whom the final diagnosis was cardiac myxoma. The key finding was that multimodality evaluation (including contrast-enhanced CT showing a left atrial mass with systemic embolic phenomena such as splenic infarction and vascular occlusion) clarified the etiology despite the IVC finding being uncommon and often attributed to thrombosis or malignancy. The clinical significance is that unusual echocardiographic findings like IVC hyperechogenicity should not exclude cardiac myxoma when systemic embolic features are present, and CT/MRI can be decisive for diagnosis.
Yasumura H, Matsuba T, Ibi R et al. · General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery cases · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A rare case of primary intracranial myxoma in a 10-year-old male: Case report and literature review.
This case report and literature review described a 10-year-old male with primary intracranial myxoma (PIM), a rare benign mesenchymal tumor arising within the central nervous system. The key finding was that the patient’s presentation with a first-time generalized tonic-clonic seizure corresponded to an extra-axial, dura-based intracranial lesion consistent with PIM, distinguishing it from the more common scenario of cardiac myxoma with CNS embolization. The report is significant because it highlights diagnostic imaging and clinical reasoning for an exceptionally rare pediatric intracranial tumor that can mimic other dural-based lesions.
Mansour MA, Malaeb RW, Morad A et al. · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Incidentally detected double-chambered right ventricle in an adult.
This case report described an adult woman with incidentally detected double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV), a congenital anomaly due to hypertrophy of right ventricular muscular structures (often the moderator band) causing intracavitary obstruction. The key finding was that imaging identified DCRV in a 55-year-old asymptomatic patient, illustrating that this typically pediatric condition can present late in adulthood. Clinically, the report highlights the importance of considering DCRV in adults with right-sided findings on cardiac imaging, even when symptoms are absent.
Saliba T, Rotzinger D, Fahrni G et al. · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
An integrated approach for assessing intracardiac mass using multi-imaging modalities: A case report.
This integrated multi-modality case report evaluated an ~83-year-old woman with chest pain and shortness of breath in whom an intracardiac mass was detected and characterized using transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, coronary angiography, and cardiac MRI with gadolinium. The mass showed increased gadolinium uptake on CMR and a tumor blush on angiography, and the patient remained under cardiology follow-up without change in mass characteristics or symptom development. The case is significant as an example of how combining imaging modalities can narrow differential diagnosis for intracardiac masses.
Mahdy T, Doos G, Mansour M et al. · Radiology case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Echinococcosis: Rare and Challenging Presentations-A Case Series.
This single-center case series reviewed five patients with cardiac echinococcosis (hydatid cysts) presenting between 2009 and 2024, where cardiac MRI confirmed the diagnosis after initial X-ray or transthoracic echocardiography. The cysts involved intramyocardial and epicardial layers, the interventricular septum, or the right atrium, with presentations ranging from chest pain to asymptomatic disease. The report emphasizes that cardiac MRI is crucial for diagnosing rare cardiac hydatid disease in endemic regions and for differentiating cystic cardiac masses.
Delibaş D, Soylu BG, Yumak T et al. · Journal of clinical ultrasound : JCU · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiometabolic and systemic disease effects on the heart (HIV, diabetes/glycemia, obesity, cardiotoxicity)
Central aortic pressure and LV remodeling after surgical versus transcatheter repair of coarctation of aorta: Prospective data from the MACHD-biobank.
This prospective MACHD-biobank analysis studied adults with repaired coarctation of the aorta (COA) to compare central aortic pressure, arterial function, left ventricular (LV) remodeling indices, and cardiovascular biomarkers after surgical versus transcatheter COA repair. It found differences in central hemodynamics and LV/arterial remodeling measures between COA patients undergoing surgical repair (COA_SR) versus transcatheter repair (COA_TR) when assessed using standardized arterial function testing, echocardiography, CMR, and biomarker assays. The clinical significance is that these multimodal physiologic and imaging comparisons can help clarify long-term cardiovascular consequences of the repair strategy.
Egbe AC, Miranda WR, Connolly HM et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Glycemic Status, Cardiac Structure, and Function by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: The Jackson Heart Study.
This Jackson Heart Study analysis studied associations between glycemic status/markers and left ventricular (LV) remodeling measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in Black adults. Compared glycemic groups, worse glycemic status was associated with adverse LV remodeling parameters including altered LV mass/volumes and reduced LV systolic performance (e.g., ejection fraction) based on CMR-derived strain and remodeling indices. These findings support CMR-based detection of subclinical myocardial dysfunction as a potential early risk stratification tool in Black adults with diabetes-related glycemic abnormalities.
Kaze AD, Ani C, Fox ER et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Myocardial injury in systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis: a silent threat.
This review studied myocardial injury in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN), emphasizing subclinical cardiac involvement and the role of cardiovascular imaging for early detection. It found that immune activation in SLE/LN drives a cardiorenal interaction that increases cardiovascular risk and that modern imaging can improve diagnostic accuracy for myocardial injury. The significance is earlier recognition of a “silent” complication, potentially enabling timely intervention to reduce downstream cardiac morbidity.
Moysidou E, Bazmpani MA, Kallifatidis A et al. · Clinical kidney journal · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Not Only the Left Ventricle: The Impact of Potentially Cardiotoxic Oncological Treatment on the Left Atrium and Right Ventricle.
This systematic review evaluated echocardiographic and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) studies assessing left atrial (LA), right atrial (RA), and right ventricular (RV) function in patients exposed to potentially cardiotoxic oncologic treatments. The key finding was that while LVEF and global longitudinal strain (GLS) are standard, they may change late and miss injury in other chambers, and the literature includes measurable multi-chamber effects. The significance is that incorporating LA/RV assessment could improve cardiotoxicity surveillance beyond left ventricular metrics.
Żak M, Suchodolski A, Niklewski T et al. · Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
The additive value of coronary calcium in identifying cardiovascular risk in ageing people with HIV.
This observational study examined whether coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) improve cardiovascular risk prediction in ageing people with HIV compared with Q-risk scores. In 779 individuals with HIV (median age 55) undergoing CACS scanning, CACS predicted adverse outcomes such as MACE, death, and heart failure better than Q-risk. The results support using coronary calcium imaging to refine cardiovascular risk stratification in HIV populations as they age.
Varadarajan M, Byrne R, Al-Hussaini A et al. · AIDS (London, England) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Standardized MRI-Based Quantification of Epicardial Adipose Tissue Volume: Reproducibility and Agreement With Cardiac Computed Tomography.
This retrospective study developed and tested a standardized MRI-based method for quantifying epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV) in 127 patients with aortic stenosis who underwent paired cardiac CT and MRI, with additional volunteer data for method evaluation. The key finding was that the standardized MRI EATV quantification showed reproducibility and agreement with the established CT-based reference. Clinically, a validated radiation-free MRI approach could enable broader longitudinal cardiometabolic risk assessment using EATV.
Gronwald J, Gersch SS, Böttiger Z et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Association Between HIV Infection Duration and Left Ventricular Concentric Remodeling and Myocardial Fibrosis: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Cardiac MRI.
This cross-sectional study evaluated how HIV infection duration (<5 years vs ≥5 years) in 83 HIV-infected participants and 34 matched HIV-negative controls relates to cardiac injury using 1.5 T cardiac MRI with SSFP cine and MOLLI T1 mapping. Longer HIV duration was associated with worse left ventricular remodeling and increased myocardial fibrosis markers, including concentric remodeling metrics and extracellular matrix–related measures derived from MRI. These findings support cardiac MRI as a noninvasive tool to detect HIV-associated cardiac progression and to stratify cardiovascular risk by infection duration.
Deng C, Sun W, Gao T et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Pharmacology and therapeutics (clinical trials and mechanistic drug studies)
Multimodality Molecular Profiling Nominates Targetable Mechanisms in Progressive RV Dysfunction.
This preclinical study investigated whether right ventricular (RV) dysfunction severity corresponds to distinct cellular and molecular alterations by performing multimodal molecular profiling in pulmonary artery banded pigs stratified by RV ejection fraction into mild versus severe RV dysfunction groups. It found that progressive RV dysfunction is associated with measurable, targetable molecular mechanisms that differ by severity, supporting the idea that “what’s happening” at the tissue level varies with functional impairment. The significance is that these multiomic findings can inform development of more precise therapeutic targets for RV dysfunction rather than treating all RV failure as a single entity.
Blake MJ, Mendelson JB, Sternbach JD et al. · Circulation research · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Semaglutide, independent of weight loss, attenuates cardiac and hepatic remodelling in experimental heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
This preclinical study tested whether semaglutide exerts weight loss-independent cardiometabolic benefits in experimental heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) using the ZSF1 obese rat and Göttingen HFpEF minipig models. Semaglutide attenuated cardiac and hepatic remodeling in both models even when effects were not solely attributable to weight loss. These findings support GLP-1 receptor agonist mechanisms beyond weight reduction as potential therapeutic targets for HFpEF.
Elbatreek MH, Li Z, Yu X et al. · European heart journal · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Hypereosinophilia With Organ Damage Secondary to Dupilumab Therapy: A Case Report and Literature Review.
This case report and literature review described a 22-year-old man who developed hypereosinophilia with organ damage after starting dupilumab for atopic dermatitis. The temporal relationship to dupilumab and the clinical course highlighted a rare but serious adverse event involving IL-4/IL-13 pathway blockade. The report emphasizes the need for monitoring eosinophil counts and organ symptoms in patients receiving dupilumab, especially when systemic manifestations emerge.
Alotaibi M, AlHelal S, Alotaibi N et al. · Case reports in dermatological medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardioprotective effects of CDP-choline in ischemia/reperfusion injury using a swine model of acute myocardial infarction.
This randomized, closed-chest swine study investigated cardioprotective effects of intravenous CDP-choline in a myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model of acute myocardial infarction, using 60 minutes left anterior descending coronary occlusion followed by reperfusion. The key finding was that CDP-choline administration after occlusion reduced injury outcomes compared with placebo in this clinically relevant porcine setting. Scientifically, it supports CDP-choline as a potential therapeutic strategy to limit infarct size and improve outcomes after STEMI-like I/R injury.
González-Pacheco H, Massó F, Amezcua-Guerra LM et al. · American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Disposition of Imrecoxib.
This narrative review evaluated the clinical pharmacokinetics and disposition of imrecoxib, a COX-2–preferential NSAID approved in China for osteoarthritis. After oral dosing, imrecoxib reached peak plasma concentrations within 2–3 hours, food increased systemic exposure, and metabolism proceeded sequentially from imrecoxib (M0) to 4’-hydroxymethylimrecoxib (M1), 4’-formylimrecoxib (M-CHO), and 4’-carboxyimrecoxib (M2). These findings support evidence-based dosing considerations, interaction assessment, and special-population guidance for imrecoxib use.
Zhao S, Li C, Mallillin MC et al. · Clinical pharmacokinetics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
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 the cardiovascular effects of chronic GIPR versus GLP-1R agonism in lean and diet-induced obese mice, explicitly examining sex differences and dose-dependent cardiac remodeling. Mice received continuous infusion of a GIPR or GLP-1R agonist for 1 month across multiple doses (0.1–1.0 mg/kg/day), and the work reported distinct remodeling patterns by receptor target, obesity status, dose, and sex. These results clarify how GIPR and GLP-1R pathway activation may differentially influence cardiovascular outcomes 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 ↗
Gasdermin D-mediated delivery of caspase inhibitors to suppress pyroptosis.
This mechanistic study investigated gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated delivery of caspase inhibitors to suppress pyroptosis, focusing on covalent caspase inhibitors that block pyroptosis and IL-1β secretion. The inhibitors selectively prevented pyroptotic outcomes despite being excluded from healthy cells, with evidence that GSDMD pores facilitated inhibitor uptake while not blocking caspase-driven apoptosis. This provides a strategy to overcome prior failures of cell-permeable caspase inhibitors by exploiting pyroptosis-associated pore formation for targeted anti-inflammatory intervention.
Groborz KM, Truong ME, Stowe I et al. · Nature · (2026) · 3 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Protective effect of coumarin on diabetes-induced sciatic nerve damage in rats via TRPV1 modulation.
This preclinical study used Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes to test whether the coumarin compound (CMR; 100 mg/kg/day by oral gavage for 14 days) protects against diabetic sciatic nerve damage via modulation of the TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) pathway. The key finding was that coumarin reduced diabetes-associated nerve injury and altered TRPV1-related signaling consistent with a TRPV1-mediated protective mechanism. Translationally, targeting TRPV1 with coumarin-like interventions may represent a therapeutic strategy to prevent or limit diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Yıldızhan K, Altındağ F, Bayir MH et al. · Experimental neurology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Inhibition of late sodium current (INa) to prevent coronary MICROvascular dysfunction in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel disease: A phase IIb multicenter, randomized, controlled and open label study (INaMICRON).
This phase IIb multicenter randomized open-label trial (INaMICRON) studied whether early inhibition of the late sodium current with ranolazine, added to guideline-directed medical therapy, improves coronary microvascular dysfunction in adults with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated by successful primary PCI and having at least one significant non-culprit lesion. The trial design targets modulation of microvascular function during the early post-infarction phase by comparing ranolazine vs standard therapy in a 1:1 allocation. If effective, this strategy could provide a pharmacologic adjunct to PCI to reduce residual ischemia driven by microvascular dysfunction after STEMI.
Di Serafino L, Ciaramella L, De Rosa S et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Thrombosis and thromboembolism imaging/biomarkers (LVT, FXI/antithrombotics)
Association of F11 Gene Variants With Cardiovascular Events and Cardiac Function.
This prospective UK Biobank study (European ancestry; n=408,642) tested whether F11 gene variants—captured as two F11-based genetic scores reflecting genetically predicted FXI inhibition via activated partial thromboplastin time or circulating factor XI levels—associate with incident heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation (AF), and cardiac function. Genetically lower FXI activity was linked to higher risk of HF and AF and to measurable differences in cardiac function on downstream analyses. The results strengthen the causal inference that FXI inhibition may carry cardiac risk signals, informing the safety evaluation of FXI-targeting antithrombotic strategies.
Ye Q, Hu S, Yang R et al. · Journal of the American Heart Association · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
A simplified geometric CMR method for reproducible quantification of left ventricular thrombus volume : Left Ventricular thrombus: a standardized measurement method.
This post-hoc analysis from the COVERT-MI trial evaluated a simplified geometric CMR method for reproducible quantification of left ventricular thrombus (LVT) volume in patients imaged 5 days after reperfusion for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The key finding was that the geometric approach was feasible and demonstrated reproducibility for standardized LVT volume measurement. Clinically, standardized and reproducible LVT quantification can improve consistency in prognosis studies and potentially guide anticoagulation decisions.
Fuzeau A, Angoulvant D, Pucheux J et al. · The international journal of cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Renal and other organ imaging biomarkers (kidney ultrasound/Doppler, non-cardiac)
Elevated hydrostatic pressure promotes organic carbon mineralization in reservoir sediments.
This experimental study used a custom-built hydrostatic pressure simulation system to test how increased hydrostatic pressure (0.1–2.1 MPa) affects organic carbon mineralization in reservoir sediments. Increasing pressure significantly accelerated sediment organic carbon mineralization, with higher apparent mineralization rates at 2.1 MPa compared with lower pressures in non-sterilized sediment-water incubations. The results are scientifically important because they clarify how reservoir-induced pressure regimes can alter carbon cycling and sediment biogeochemistry.
Zhang Y, Xiao S, Liu D et al. · Water research · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Correlation Between Computer-Assisted Ultrasonographic Parameters and Histological Findings in Glomerular Diseases: A Multivariate Ordinal Analysis.
This multivariate ordinal analysis correlated computer-assisted renal ultrasonographic and Doppler parameters with kidney biopsy histology in patients with glomerular diseases, using measures such as cortical-to-liver/spleen echogenicity ratio, corticomedullary ratio (CMR), renal resistivity index (RRI), splenic resistivity index (SRI), and DI-RISK. Ultrasound-derived indices showed statistically meaningful associations with biopsy activity and chronicity components of lupus nephritis indices. These results suggest that quantitative ultrasound and Doppler metrics may help noninvasively reflect histologic severity and support risk stratification in glomerular disease.
Araújo NC, da Silveira Rioja L, Suassuna JHR · Journal of clinical ultrasound : JCU · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Decision-making, care processes, and public health (clinical workflows, nursing decisions, mortality trends)
The evolution of a novel technique for treatment of intercostal hernias and restoration of costal margin rupture.
This article presented three clinical cases describing the evolution of surgical management for costal margin rupture (CMR) with intercostal hernia (IH), emphasizing how accurate diagnosis changes operative strategy. The key finding was that recognizing CMR/CMR-associated IH preoperatively (or after an initial failed attempt) was pivotal to achieving successful surgical restoration of the costal margin in these patients. Scientifically and clinically, it supports improved classification and heightened suspicion to reduce failure rates and optimize surgical planning for a frequently missed thoracic injury pattern.
Sharma R, Rafael A, Pailthorpe C et al. · Injury · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Temporal Trends in Mortality in Portugal, 1913-2022.
This time-series study analyzed official mortality statistics to estimate annual crude and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) in Portugal from 1913 to 2022 and to describe long-term trends from 1940 onward, stratified by sex and age group. The study documented substantial historical shifts in mortality levels and trends across the 20th and early 21st centuries. These findings are significant for understanding population health transitions and informing long-range public health planning.
Aniceto C, Leite A, Rodrigues M et al. · Portuguese journal of public health · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Nurses’ Clinical Decision-Making During Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Dressing Application and Removal: A Qualitative Study.
This qualitative think-aloud study investigated how nurses in cancer care make clinical decisions when applying and removing peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) dressings and securement devices, involving registered nurses from adult and paediatric quaternary wards in Brisbane, Australia. The key finding was characterization of the reasoning processes used during dressing application/removal, interpreted through Dual Process Theory and analyzed via Framework Analysis. Operationally, understanding these decision-making patterns can inform training and standardization to improve PICC care safety and consistency.
Larsen EN, Wickins J, Marsh N et al. · Seminars in oncology nursing · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Generated automatically on October 08, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published October 01, 2026 – October 08, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.