What's New in Cardiac MRI? — October 21, 2026
AI-summarised digest of 56 PubMed articles on Cardiac MRI published in the last 7 days.
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What’s New in Cardiac MRI?
October 21, 2026 · 56 articles · 15 research themes · covering October 14, 2026 – October 21, 2026
Overview
Across this week’s set of studies, cardiac MRI (CMR) is repeatedly positioned as a decision-changing tool—both diagnostically and prognostically. Several reports emphasize diagnostic specificity: cancer-associated intracardiac thrombi can mimic metastatic lesions on CMR, eosinophilic and inflammatory cardiomyopathies may precede or reflect systemic hematologic disease, and atypical triggers (e.g., trauma) can produce non-classic Takotsubo phenotypes that require imaging confirmation to avoid misclassification as acute coronary syndrome. Complementing these clinical vignettes, multiple cohorts and validations show that “how” CMR findings are characterized matters—LGE patterning, ECV integration, and even distribution of fibrosis/lesion burden can refine risk beyond simple presence/absence or ejection fraction.
A second dominant theme is phenotype- and mechanism-guided care, often linking imaging biomarkers to physiology. In HFpEF, trials and observational work explore whether myocardial fibrosis status and ventricular mechanical properties (e.g., distensibility, strain) identify subgroups likely to benefit from targeted therapies. In ischemia without obstructive coronary disease and post-TAVI settings, coronary microvascular dysfunction and LV relaxation/pressure physiology are tied to outcomes, while advanced quantitative CMR (mapping, perfusion, microvascular obstruction assessment, and novel non-contrast approaches) aims to make these mechanisms measurable earlier and more broadly. Parallel work in congenital heart disease and transplant populations extends this precision approach to longitudinal surveillance—tracking RV remodeling after valve implantation, interpreting early post-transplant biomarker trajectories to reduce false positives, and anticipating rapid allograft vasculopathy.
Finally, the digest highlights the growing infrastructure around CMR: standardization of acquisition parameters (including 4D flow and radiomics reproducibility), prediction of motion artifacts to improve workflow, and AI/ML frameworks that fuse ECG and CMR or reconstruct 3D volumes from sparse data. Together, these studies suggest a field moving toward scalable, interpretable, and more patient-friendly imaging—where better data quality, better modeling, and better mechanistic biomarkers converge to improve diagnosis, surveillance, and risk stratification.
Cardiac MRI in Oncology-Associated Thromboembolism and Metastasis Mimics
Primary cardiac angiosarcoma: From pathogenesis to therapeutic strategies.
This review synthesized evidence on the pathogenesis and emerging therapeutic strategies for primary cardiac angiosarcoma (PCAS), focusing on genomic/transcriptomic drivers and treatment approaches in affected patients (predominantly young-to-middle-aged males). It highlights recurrent molecular alterations including POT1, KDR/VEGFR2, and PLCG1 mutations, CDKN2A loss, and angiogenic pathway activation within an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Clinically, these mechanistic insights aim to guide targeted and immunomodulatory therapies for a malignancy with typically <1-year median survival.
Gao H, Zhang H, Zhu D et al. · Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Abdominal Pain as the First Presentation of Severe Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction and Left Ventricular Thrombus in a Young Asymptomatic Patient: A Diagnostic Interception.
This clinical case report described a young, asymptomatic, physically active patient whose first presentation was abdominal pain, leading to incidental detection of severe heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and a left ventricular apical thrombus. Early cardiac evaluation and management resulted in complete thrombus resolution. The report emphasizes that abdominal pain can be an atypical presentation of severe HFrEF with LV thrombus and that prompt cardiac imaging can be life-changing.
Alarfaj MO, Alsuwailem BS, Aljeezan MK et al. · Clinical case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
PFO-Mediated Paradoxical Coronary Embolism Causing Myocardial Infarction: Concordant Imaging Findings.
The article reports a 36-year-old man with myocardial infarction caused by paradoxical coronary embolism in the setting of a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Coronary angiography showed distal thrombotic occlusion without atherosclerosis, and cardiac MRI demonstrated subendocardial-to-transmural infarction with edema confined to the corresponding vascular territory, while echocardiography confirmed right-to-left shunting through the PFO. The case illustrates how concordant multimodality imaging can establish the embolic mechanism of MI when coronary disease is absent.
Shrestha A, Wong C, Theuerle J et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Intracardiac Thrombi Mimicking Cardiac Metastases in a Patient With Lung Adenocarcinoma.
This case studied a 50-year-old man with newly diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma and venous thromboembolism who developed two right-sided intracardiac masses that initially persisted despite therapeutic anticoagulation. Cardiac magnetic resonance suggested metastatic disease, but histopathology of the excised atrial mass showed an organizing thrombus and the remaining ventricular lesion resolved after 1 month of therapeutic enoxaparin. The report highlights that cancer-associated intracardiac thrombi can mimic cardiac metastases on CMR, emphasizing the need for tissue diagnosis and careful anticoagulation response assessment in oncology patients.
Lembo M, De Vivo R, La Mura L et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiovascular Genetics and Inherited Cardiomyopathies (HCM and Related)
The Innocent Delta Wave in Progressive Cardiomyopathy - Culprit vs Bystander.
This case report studied a 34-year-old man with progressive cardiomyopathy/HCM phenotype who developed recurrent palpitations, atrial fibrillation, and an acute ischemic stroke, with family history of HCM and high-grade conduction disease. After direct-current cardioversion, sinus rhythm ECG showed a short PR interval, suggesting a delta-wave/“inert delta wave” mechanism as a potential contributor rather than a primary culprit of the cardiomyopathy progression. Clinically, it highlights the need to distinguish incidental pre-excitation/ECG findings from true arrhythmogenic drivers in HCM patients with conduction abnormalities and stroke.
Ansari AG, Shanmugam S, Vijay J et al. · The American journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Clinical phenotype and outcomes of low-risk HCM patients who maintained stable exercise habits during follow-up.
This cohort study evaluated 253 low-risk hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients stratified by reliably documented stable exercise habits during follow-up (sedentary, mild, and vigorous activity). Patients who maintained regular exercise showed a more favorable clinical phenotype and outcomes compared with sedentary patients, despite being classified as low-risk at baseline. The findings support the concept that sustained exercise may be compatible with—and possibly beneficial for—risk profiles in selected low-risk HCM patients.
Pelliccia A, Ferrera A, Daniello CD et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Septal thickness to QRS voltage ratio in Lead I/aVR: A simple tool for estimating cardiac amyloid burden.
This diagnostic/prognostic study assessed whether an integrated echocardiographic–electrocardiographic (echo-ECG) index—maximum septal thickness (MST) divided by QRS voltage in lead I and/or aVR (MST/QRS)—estimates cardiac amyloid burden in patients with suspected or confirmed cardiac amyloidosis. The key finding was that the MST-to-QRS voltage ratio correlated with cardiac MRI–derived extracellular volume (ECV), the reference standard for noninvasive amyloid quantification. This provides a low-cost, widely available tool to approximate amyloid burden when CMR ECV is limited.
Sclafani M, Arcari L, Tini G et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
LGL-Phenocopy With Dual AV Nodal Physiology and Malignant SVT: A Diagnostic Pitfall With Sudden Deaths.
This case report describes a 45-year-old man with malignant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) whose presentation mimicked Lown-Ganong-Levine (LGL) phenocopy due to short PR without preexcitation and dual AV nodal physiology. ECG during symptoms showed SVT with Hisian extrasystole and QRS variability, and postconversion ECG confirmed short PR with dual AV nodal physiology, alongside a family history of sudden cardiac death. The report highlights a diagnostic pitfall: LGL-phenocopy can be associated with malignant substrates and sudden death risk, warranting careful electrophysiologic evaluation rather than reassurance.
Negm AY, Zhfan S, Khalil M et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Compound MYH7 Mutations: Risk Stratification Challenges in an Affected Family.
This case studied a 54-year-old man from a familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) pedigree undergoing sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk stratification, with genetic context from his daughter. Although the daughter had two pathogenic MYH7 variants (Ala655Thr and Gly571Arg) and developed obstructive HCM requiring septal myomectomy and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator after cardiac arrest, the father carried only the Ala655Thr variant and showed mild septal hypertrophy with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. The findings underscore that compound MYH7 mutation status can complicate genotype–phenotype interpretation and SCD risk stratification in genotype-positive relatives with borderline expression.
Hammad A, Yeung A, Goldschmidt H et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Stress Cardiomyopathy (Takotsubo) and Triggers
Apical-to-Mid-Ventricular Phenotypic Shift in Recurrent Takotsubo Syndrome After Minor Trauma.
This case studied an 84-year-old woman with recurrent Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) who developed a mid-ventricular variant after minor blunt chest trauma from a ground-level fall. Compared with her prior apical TTS, she had troponin rise with new lateral T-wave inversions, echocardiographic mid-ventricular akinesia with a hyperkinetic apex, and coronary angiography excluding obstructive disease, while left ventriculography and cardiac magnetic resonance supported mid-ventricular variant TTS. The report suggests that trauma can trigger atypical TTS phenotypes and that CMR/ventriculography are important to distinguish recurrent TTS from acute coronary syndromes.
Khoury F, Chandi M, Johal M et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Inflammatory Myocarditis and Systemic/Secondary Causes
[Cardiac involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies].
This scoping review summarized cardiac involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), focusing on prevalence, mechanisms, clinical manifestations, diagnostic strategies, and treatment options. It emphasizes that subclinical myocarditis is often under-recognized and can contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in IIM patients. The review provides practical guidance for rheumatologists to improve detection and management of cardiac disease in this population.
Wilhelmi T, Treiber J, Müller-Ladner U et al. · Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Prospective Cardiac MRI study comparing Recovered COVID-19 patients with Recovered Non-COVID-19 Viral Respiratory Infection Patients (R-COVID-CMR).
In the prospective longitudinal R-COVID-CMR study, recovered COVID-19 patients were compared with recovered non-COVID viral respiratory infection controls using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) to quantify myocardial inflammation and involvement. The key finding is the comparative CMR-based assessment of the extent and severity of myocardial involvement between COVID-19 and non-COVID viral infections after recovery. Clinically, it informs whether post-viral myocardial inflammation risk is specific to COVID-19 or shared across viral respiratory infections.
Ho LK, Hei ST, Yan HS et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
FOLFOX-Associated Ventricular Fibrillation Arrest in a Patient With Colon Cancer.
This JACC Case Reports report describes a 43-year-old man with stage IIIB colon cancer who developed out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation arrest about 72 hours after the first FOLFOX cycle (leucovorin, fluorouracil/5-FU, and oxaliplatin). Coronary angiography showed nonobstructive coronary arteries and cardiac imaging suggested recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction without myocardial edema or late enhancement (details truncated). The case highlights potentially life-threatening fluoropyrimidine-associated cardiotoxicity presenting as severe ventricular arrhythmia, emphasizing the need for prompt recognition and management.
Al Osta S, Ahmed M, Xu WD et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Loeffler’s Endomyocarditis: Clinical characteristics and outcomes from a tertiary care centre registry.
This retrospective single-center registry study characterized 18 patients with Loeffler’s endomyocarditis (cardiac manifestation of hypereosinophilic syndrome) using clinical data, biomarkers, echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and endomyocardial biopsy (n=8). Hierarchical clustering identified two clinical patterns, including an acute inflammatory form with elevated troponin T and C-reactive protein, fever, and subepicardial late gadolinium enhancement. The results improve phenotyping and outcome understanding for this rare infiltrative eosinophilic cardiomyopathy, informing risk stratification and management strategies.
Buske P, Krieghoff C, Lücke C et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Fulminant Eosinophilic Myocarditis in Steroid-Refractory Hypereosinophilic Syndrome: Navigating the Thrombotic Stage With Targeted Biologic Therapy.
This JACC Case Reports article describes a 57-year-old woman with steroid-refractory hypereosinophilic syndrome who developed fulminant eosinophilic myocarditis with thrombotic complications. Cardiac MRI identified a large laminar thrombus and subendocardial necrosis, and the patient experienced hematologic relapse despite pulse-dose steroids and hydroxyurea before targeted therapy with mepolizumab (anti–interleukin-5). The case highlights the role of CMR in detecting eosinophilic myocarditis-related thrombotic injury and supports IL-5 blockade as a targeted strategy when conventional therapy fails.
Althobaiti M, Aldlgan D, Alfehaid L et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Loeffler’s Endomyocarditis With Embolic Stroke Secondary to Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia With Therapy-Related Molecular Features.
This case report presents a 77-year-old man with chronic eosinophilic leukemia with therapy-related molecular features who developed Loeffler’s endomyocarditis with embolic stroke. Cardiac MRI showed diffuse subendocardial involvement consistent with eosinophil-mediated myocardial injury and mural thrombus, explaining the embolic presentation. The report emphasizes that clonal eosinophilic disorders can underlie Loeffler’s endomyocarditis and that CMR can be pivotal for diagnosis and thromboembolic risk recognition.
Ramesh S, Yousif N, Affas Z et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Acute Myocarditis as an Immune-Mediated Complication of Mpox Infection.
This case report describes a 32-year-old man with well-controlled HIV who developed acute myocarditis after mpox infection confirmed by PCR. Cardiac MRI showed lateral-wall edema on T2-weighted imaging and nonischemic late gadolinium enhancement with preserved ejection fraction, meeting the updated Lake Louise Criteria, and the patient recovered with supportive care. The report expands recognition of mpox as a potential cause of immune-mediated myocarditis and demonstrates CMR’s diagnostic value in excluding ischemic etiologies.
Khoury F, Kim JHJ, Baghdasaryan E et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Relapsing-Remitting Perimyocarditis and Emerging Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
This case studied a 66-year-old man with relapsing-remitting perimyocarditis following Coxsackievirus B exposure that ultimately emerged as acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Initial cardiac magnetic resonance and work-ups were unrevealing, but repeat CMR showed biventricular dysfunction with new lateral wall late gadolinium enhancement, myocardial edema, and a circumferential pericardial effusion, and endomyocardial biopsy confirmed severe lymphocytic myocarditis. The report is clinically significant because it shows perimyocarditis can precede AML and that persistent/recurrent inflammatory cardiomyopathy warrants repeat imaging and consideration of underlying hematologic malignancy.
Zipperer-Giblin MB, Bowman JI, Patel N et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac Tumors and Rare Malignancies
Real-time assessment of mitotic rate in malignant melanoma by ex vivo confocal microscopy.
This pilot study evaluated whether ex vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (EVCM) can reliably measure mitotic rate in malignant melanoma tissue to support prognostic assessment. EVCM-based assessment of mitotic rate showed feasibility for determining this prognostic marker (specific accuracy/thresholds truncated). If validated, EVCM could enable faster intraoperative or near-intraoperative risk stratification that influences sentinel lymph node biopsy decisions.
Hartmann D, Wex K, Braun A et al. · Clinical and experimental dermatology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Multimodality Imaging of a Massive Intrapericardial Mediastinal Hemangioma: A Diagnostic Challenge.
This case report describes a 68-year-old man with a massive intrapericardial mediastinal hemangioma who had a severe iodinated contrast allergy. An iodine-free multimodality strategy—2’-deoxy-2’-[F-18] fluoro-D-glucose PET/CT, cardiac MRI, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound—guided by 3D reconstruction enabled safe complete surgical resection. The approach is significant for patients in whom iodinated contrast is contraindicated, showing how CMR can contribute to diagnosis and surgical planning without standard contrast exposure.
Weng J, Han J, Mao Y et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Primary Cardiac Leiomyosarcoma in a Young Patient: A Therapeutic Challenge.
This case studied a 29-year-old man with a primary cardiac leiomyosarcoma presenting with respiratory symptoms initially treated as infection. Cardiac magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography, followed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry, confirmed the diagnosis, and the patient remained alive at 20 months while receiving systemic therapy. The report emphasizes the diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainty in this rare aggressive sarcoma and supports multimodality imaging plus immunohistochemical confirmation to guide management.
Calzadilla-Gutierrez HR, Blanco-Adrian N, Vaca-Villarroel JM et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiac MRI for Ventricular Arrhythmias and Structural Aneurysm Evolution
Recurrent Nonischemic Left Ventricular Aneurysms: A Cardiac MRI-Driven Diagnosis in a DES Variant Carrier.
This case studied a 24-year-old man with recurrent nonischemic left ventricular aneurysms who was a variant carrier, using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to drive diagnosis and management. Initial CMR identified an apical true aneurysm with normal coronary arteries and he underwent surgical treatment, but five years later recurrent ventricular tachycardia led to repeat CMR that detected a new inferolateral basal aneurysm in a previously normal region. The report highlights CMR’s role in detecting evolving myocardial structural disease and guiding reassessment in patients with recurrent ventricular arrhythmias and nonischemic aneurysm phenotypes.
Garcia NP, Forti D, Tassine Penatti LA et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Heart Transplantation: Rejection Surveillance and Allograft Complications
Multi-center study of CMR versus cardiac catheterization with endomyocardial biopsy for pediatric transplant surveillance: study protocol.
This study protocol will evaluate whether cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) using T1 and T2 parametric mapping plus blood biomarkers (including cell-free DNA and microRNA) can predict acute cardiac allograft rejection in pediatric heart transplant recipients, compared against the current standard of endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) and cardiac catheterization across multiple centers. The key aim is to validate a non-invasive predictive model for rejection surveillance in pediatric transplant patients where EMB is invasive and limited by discomfort and risk. If successful, this approach could reduce EMB frequency and improve safety and scalability of rejection monitoring in pediatric heart transplant care.
Heimerl AT, Crum K, Lockard CA et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Rapid Progression of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy With Sudden Cardiac Death Within the First Year of Heart Transplantation: A Case Report.
This case report describes a 56-year-old man with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent left ventricular assist device implantation followed by orthotopic heart transplantation and then developed cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) with sudden cardiac death within the first year. The key finding is that CAV can progress rapidly and present with sudden cardiac death as the initial manifestation, with cardiac denervation blunting preceding anginal symptoms. Clinically, it highlights the need for vigilant early CAV surveillance and risk assessment after heart transplantation even when symptoms are atypical or absent.
Dix M, Iskandar JP, He L et al. · Transplantation proceedings · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Heart Failure Therapeutics and Phenotype-Guided Management
Dapagliflozin in phenotypically stratified HFpEF without myocardial fibrosis: the STADIA-HFpEF randomized crossover trial.
In the STADIA-HFpEF randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial, dapagliflozin was tested in phenotypically stratified HFpEF patients without significant myocardial fibrosis to determine whether it improves left ventricular (LV) distensibility. The key finding (as the trial’s objective) is whether dapagliflozin can enhance LV mechanical function in this fibrosis-negative HFpEF subgroup, building on prior evidence that SGLT2 inhibitors improve cardiomyocyte distensibility and related pathways. If dapagliflozin shows benefit, it would support a mechanism- and phenotype-guided treatment strategy for HFpEF patients lacking myocardial fibrosis.
Scheffer M, van Maarschalkerwaart W, Dong C et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular pharmacotherapy · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Effects of testosterone on exercise capacity in postmenopausal women with stage B heart failure.
This single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial studied whether transdermal testosterone 5 mg/day for 4 months improves exercise capacity in women aged ≥55 years with stage B heart failure and reduced V˙O2peak. Testosterone treatment improved exercise capacity compared with placebo (details truncated in the abstract). These findings suggest a potential therapeutic role for testosterone in skeletal muscle/vascular function to enhance functional capacity in postmenopausal women with early-stage (stage B) HF.
Grant J, Alexander SE, Marwick TH et al. · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiovascular effects of metyrapone treatment in patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion: a secondary analysis.
This prospective open-label single-center study (secondary analysis) evaluated cardiovascular effects of cortisol-lowering therapy with evening metyrapone (500 mg at 6 pm and 250 mg at 10 pm) over 12 weeks in 15 patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS; 12 women). After treatment, metyrapone altered blood pressure regulation, cardiac fat depots, and measures of heart function/morphology and other cardiovascular risk factors (specific direction/magnitude truncated). The results support the concept that reducing cortisol excess with metyrapone may improve cardiovascular risk in MACS, informing endocrine-cardiovascular management strategies.
Niziolek H, Just I, Baumgartner C et al. · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardio-Computational Methods: AI, ML, and Multimodal Integration
HeartFusion: A Cross-Modality Transformer for Accurate Cardiovascular Disease Diagnosis and Severity Assessment.
This JoVE study developed and evaluated HeartFusion, a cross-modality Transformer that integrates electrocardiogram (ECG) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) data for cardiovascular disease diagnosis and severity assessment. The key finding is that wavelet-derived ECG time-frequency features encoded with Cardioformer and CMR structure encoded with TransUNet can be aligned via cross-modal attention into a shared latent space to improve diagnostic and ordinal severity prediction. Scientifically, it provides a reproducible framework for combining electrophysiology and imaging to better stratify cardiovascular disease severity.
Ji Y, Hu Y · Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Latent Interpolation Learning Using Diffusion Models for Cardiac Volume Reconstruction.
This engineering study proposed a Cardiac Latent Interpolation Diffusion (CaLID) framework for cardiac volume reconstruction from sparsely sampled 2D CMR short-axis slices. CaLID uses diffusion-model-based latent interpolation to overcome limitations of linear/spherical interpolation and avoids dependence on segmentation labels or motion data (performance details truncated). The approach could enable more accurate 3D cardiac assessment from routine sparse acquisitions, improving downstream diagnosis and quantification.
Bubeck N, Shit S, Chen C et al. · IEEE transactions on medical imaging · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
CMR Acquisition Quality, Standardization, and Radiomics Reproducibility
Impact of Field Strength and Contrast Agents on Cardiac MRI Radiomic Features of the Myocardium and Blood Pool.
This experimental study investigated how magnetic field strength (1.5T vs 3T) and gadolinium-based contrast agents affect cardiac MRI radiomic features of the myocardium and blood pool. Using a Modified Look-Locker Inversion Recovery (MOLLI) sequence in eight healthy volunteers, radiomic features extracted from the mid-LV myocardium and blood pool differed depending on whether gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) or gadofosveset trisodium was used and on field strength. The results are significant for standardizing cardiac radiomics across scanners and contrast protocols to improve reproducibility and model transferability.
Lin K, Sarnari R, Gordon DZ et al. · Journal of imaging informatics in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Machine Learning and Post-Hoc Feature Attribution for Predicting Cardiac MRI Motion Artifacts: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
This retrospective cohort study (n=514 adults) used machine learning with post-hoc feature attribution to predict the occurrence of cardiac MRI motion artifacts during non-sedated CMR using baseline clinical and psychological/physiological indicators. The key finding is that an eXtreme Gradient Boosting model achieved the highest discrimination for artifact prediction (AUC=0.875). Clinically, this could enable targeted interventions (e.g., coaching or workflow changes) to reduce rescans and improve CMR efficiency and patient experience.
Li Y, Cai Q, Li L et al. · Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
4D Flow Acquisition Parameters as Technical Correlates of Hemodynamic Measurements: An Analysis of the multicenter Tetralogy of Fallot Registry of 4D flow Energetics and Kinetics (TREK).
This multicenter observational analysis used the Tetralogy of Fallot 4D flow Registry of Energetics and Kinetics (TREK) to assess how 4D flow CMR acquisition parameters (including magnet vendor, sequence, and signal quality) affect hemodynamic biomarkers in repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF). The key finding was that technical acquisition factors meaningfully correlated with variability in 4D flow–derived measurements of aortic and right ventricular hemodynamics (e.g., kinetic energy, vorticity, and viscous energy loss). Scientifically, it provides guidance for standardization and interpretation of 4D flow biomarkers across sites and scanners.
Loke YH, Lee M, O’Hara R et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Quantitative CMR Biomarkers: Mapping, Fibrosis, Perfusion, and Microvascular Injury
4D-Flow MRI-Derived Wall Shear Stress as a Non-Invasive Biomarker for the Detection and Hemodynamic Characterization of Pulmonary Hypertension.
This study assessed whether 4D-flow MRI-derived pulmonary artery wall shear stress (WSS) can non-invasively detect pulmonary hypertension (PH) and predict right ventriculo-pulmonary arterial (RV-PA) uncoupling using the 2022 hemodynamic criteria. In retrospective (41 PH vs 23 non-PH) and prospective (23 PH vs 17 healthy controls) cohorts, WSS measurements in the main, right, and left pulmonary arteries were used to characterize PH hemodynamics and severity. The findings support 4D-flow MRI WSS as a potential non-invasive biomarker to reduce reliance on invasive right heart catheterization for PH assessment.
Statton B, Armour C, Leong K et al. · Pulmonary circulation · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Visualization of post-STEMI myocardial infarction and microvascular obstruction with non-contrast, free-breathing whole- heart iT2prep-IR BOOST.
This validation study tested a non-contrast, free-breathing 3D whole-heart T1/T2 CMR technique (iT2prep-IR BOOST) for visualizing post–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) myocardial infarction and microvascular obstruction (MVO) in STEMI patients. The key finding was that iT2prep-IR BOOST enabled rapid (<8-minute) assessment of myocardial injury without breath-holding or contrast, aiming to match the diagnostic and quantitative performance of conventional contrast-enhanced CMR. If confirmed, this approach could broaden CMR availability for STEMI risk stratification by removing contrast and breath-hold constraints.
Liu X, He J, Zhang B et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Temporal Changes in LGE-CMR Enhancement After Monopolar Biphasic Focal Pulsed Field Ablation for Pulmonary Vein Isolation.
This prospective serial imaging study characterized acute and chronic lesion formation after monopolar biphasic focal pulsed field ablation (PFA) for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using serial late gadolinium enhancement CMR (LGE-CMR). In six patients undergoing point-by-point PFA with the CENTAURI system, LGE enhancement patterns were tracked over time to describe lesion maturation after the index procedure. The findings help define how PFA lesions evolve on LGE-CMR, informing interpretation of post-ablation imaging and potentially procedural optimization.
Moersdorf M, Forkmann M, Abou-Khalil M et al. · Heart rhythm · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Life-Course Blood Pressure Trajectories and Focal Myocardial Fibrosis in Older Age in MyoFit46.
This MyoFit46 study evaluated whether life-course blood pressure (BP) trajectories predict later-life focal left ventricular (LV) fibrosis measured by LGE in older adults. In ~500 participants scanned at age 77 years, systolic and diastolic BP were recorded across adulthood and modeled for trajectory steepness and cumulative BP burden, then related to LGE quantified using the 3-SD and 5-SD methods. The significance is that it links long-term BP exposure patterns to structural myocardial fibrosis risk, supporting earlier BP management to prevent late cardiac remodeling.
Topriceanu CC, Webber M, Shiwani H et al. · Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Diffuse elevations of T1 and T2 are common in newly transplanted pediatric cardiac grafts without rejection and decrease over time.
This prospective CMR study assessed temporal changes in non-contrast 1.5T T1 and T2 parametric mapping in 14 pediatric heart transplant recipients without acute rejection across 22 scans, compared between new grafts (≤6 months) and established grafts (≥12 months) matched to controls. Diffuse elevations of T1 and T2 were common in newly transplanted grafts without rejection and decreased over time. These findings help interpret early post-transplant CMR biomarker trajectories and may reduce false-positive concern for rejection.
Vegulla RV, Blackwell S, Ceneri NM et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence from studies (2010–2025) to estimate the pooled prevalence of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and to assess how CMD affects outcomes. The analysis evaluated how CMD prevalence and post-TAVI changes in coronary flow reserve (CFR) and microvascular resistance vary by diagnostic modality and whether baseline CMD predicts major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (numerical results truncated). Clarifying CMD frequency and prognostic impact after TAVI could improve post-procedure risk stratification and guide targeted microvascular evaluation.
Panyawongkhanti M, Chintrakulchai P, Tanking C et al. · PloS one · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease: The women’s ischemia syndrome evaluation - Coronary microvascular dysfunction study (WISE-CVD).
This invasive physiology study examined 253 women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) to test whether coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD)–mediated impairment in LV relaxation contributes to elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), with a predefined subset undergoing cardiac MRI (CMRI). The study used coronary functional testing (CFT) to measure resting LVEDP and coronary microvascular function and found evidence linking CMD-related LV relaxation impairment to higher LVEDP. Scientifically, it strengthens the mechanistic bridge between CMD and HFpEF physiology and supports LVEDP as a clinically relevant invasive target in INOCA.
Ranasinghe S, Tjoe B, Chang J et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Fully quantitative CMR rest perfusion reveals myocardial perfusion abnormality in Kawasaki disease: Association with left ventricular Remodeling.
This prospective single-center study enrolled 87 children with Kawasaki disease (KD) and used fully quantitative cardiac MRI (CMR) rest perfusion to measure myocardial blood flow (MBF) corrected for heart rate–blood pressure product (MBFcor). It found myocardial perfusion abnormalities in KD and demonstrated associations between these perfusion deficits and subsequent left ventricular (LV) remodeling. The work supports quantitative CMR perfusion as a mechanistic biomarker for myocardial injury and remodeling risk in pediatric KD.
Zhou Z, Ye P, Wang C et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Rotating Frame Spin-Lock Cardiac MRI Method at 9.4 T Can Characterize Diffuse Fibrosis in Progressing Hypertensive Heart Disease in Mice.
The study evaluated rotating-frame spin-lock continuous-wave (CW) T1ρ and RAFF2 (relaxation along a fictitious field with Rank 2) cardiac MRI methods for characterizing diffuse myocardial fibrosis in mice with advancing hypertensive heart disease induced by angiotensin II infusion. Compared with native T1 and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), the rotating-frame spin-lock approaches better characterized diffuse fibrosis progression in the setting of diastolic dysfunction. These findings support the use of advanced 9.4 T CMR quantitative relaxation techniques to detect diffuse (non-replacement) fibrosis earlier and more specifically in hypertensive cardiomyopathy models.
Kiviluoto R, Törmä D, Tawfek A et al. · Magnetic resonance in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Echocardiography–CMR Integration and Guideline/Reference Standard Alignment
Optimizing Echocardiographic Evaluation of Chronic Mitral Regurgitation: Comparison With Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Implications for Guideline Recommendations.
This prospective study compared American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) native mitral regurgitation (MR) severity criteria against quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in 177 patients undergoing near-simultaneous CMR and transthoracic echocardiography. The authors evaluated and optimized ASE guideline performance, particularly when fewer than 4 criteria are present, using CMR as the reference standard (full performance metrics truncated). Improving echocardiographic guideline accuracy for chronic MR severity could reduce misclassification and better guide decisions for intervention.
El-Tallawi KC, Angulo C, Chamsi-Pasha M et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Congenital Heart Disease and Post-Repair Imaging/Outcomes
Septal dysfunction and Abnormal Systolic Stretch Are Associated with Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot.
This retrospective study analyzed 126 pediatric patients after tetralogy of Fallot repair (median age 14.7 years) using contemporaneous ECG, echocardiography, and cardiac MRI (2019–2025) to link septal dysfunction with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. The key finding is that septal dysfunction and abnormal systolic stretch are associated with RV dysfunction, particularly in the context of electro-mechanical dyssynchrony (EMD)-related RV impairment. This is clinically significant because it identifies measurable mechanical substrates that may help predict which repaired TOF patients are at higher risk for later RV dysfunction.
Fournier E, Joye R, Bitterman Y et al. · Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Predictors of Residual Pulmonary Regurgitation and Biventricular Recovery After Pulsta Valve Implantation.
This retrospective pediatric cardiology study (n=98) used paired pre- and post-procedural CMR to identify predictors of residual pulmonary regurgitation (PR), residual right ventricular enlargement (RVE), and residual biventricular imbalance (BVI) after Pulsta self-expanding percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI). The key finding is that CMR-derived right ventricular outflow tract and ventricular remodeling features can predict which patients will have residual PR and incomplete biventricular recovery after PPVI. Scientifically and clinically, it supports more individualized post-procedure risk stratification beyond RV volume thresholds alone.
Baek SM, Ahn C, Lee SY et al. · Pediatric cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Prenatal Diagnosis of Distal Aortopulmonary Window by Fetal Cardiac MRI.
This JACC Case Reports article presents a fetal cardiac MRI case in which distal aortopulmonary window was diagnosed when ultrasound visualization of the great vessels was suboptimal. The key finding is that fetal cardiac MRI provided characteristic anatomical detail (a heart-shaped appearance of the great vessels) enabling accurate characterization of this complex outflow tract abnormality. Clinically, it supports fetal MRI as a complementary tool to refine diagnosis and anatomy when echocardiography is limited.
Verley M, Anquetil S, Ferreira LN et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Guiding Pacemaker Implantation With Multimodality Imaging in an Adult With Ventricular Septal Defect.
This JACC Case Reports article describes a 57-year-old adult with congenital ventricular septal defect and prior surgical repairs who developed complete heart block requiring pacemaker implantation. Multimodality imaging was used to plan the procedure by clarifying complex septal anatomy and identifying optimal lead positioning strategies to improve procedural safety. The case supports multimodality imaging as a practical tool to reduce technical difficulty and complications in pacing for adult congenital heart disease.
Singh AK, Eastwood C, Wong C · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardio-Neurovascular and Systemic Disease Linkages
Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy: A comprehensive review of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management.
This narrative review summarizes the pathophysiology, diagnostic approaches, and management of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) in patients with liver cirrhosis, including considerations relevant to liver transplantation. The key finding is that CCM is common but underrecognized, with reported prevalence varying widely (29% to 67.2%) depending on diagnostic criteria, and it involves impaired contractile reserve, diastolic dysfunction, and electrophysiological abnormalities. Scientifically and clinically, it consolidates imaging and biomarker strategies to improve detection and guide management in cirrhosis and transplant settings.
Zhang L, Yi J · Medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
AI and Deep Learning in Cardiovascular Imaging: From Risk Stratification to Precision Phenotyping.
This cross-sectional study enrolled 139 participants with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction who underwent concurrent cardiac and brain MRI to test whether subclinical left ventricular myocardial strain impairment correlates with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden. Left ventricular strain impairment was associated with greater CSVD burden on neuroimaging (exact correlation metrics truncated). The findings link subtle cardiac dysfunction to cerebral microvascular injury markers, supporting integrated cardio-neurovascular risk phenotyping.
Diao K, Lu J, Dimitrakakis A et al. · Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
3D magnetic nanocomposite modified with molybdenum disulfide: preparation and application in aqueous Cr(vi) remediation.
This materials/environmental study developed a 3D molybdenum disulfide magnetic biochar nanocomposite (3DMMB) using traditional Chinese medicine residues as biomass feedstock and iron-based sludge as an iron source, then tested it for aqueous hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] remediation. The key finding was that solution pH significantly influenced Cr(VI) removal efficiency, consistent with adsorption-driven remediation performance. Scientifically, it advances a low-cost, high-efficiency adsorbent platform for treating toxic Cr(VI) in water.
Duan X, Zhang J, Wang Y et al. · Nanoscale advances · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Cardiovascular Risk Stratification, Prognosis, and Predictive Modeling
Prognostic Value of Late Gadolinium Enhancement Findings in Isolated Left Ventricular Dilatation and Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
This bicentric retrospective CMR study evaluated whether late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) extent, location, and number of LGE areas predict all-cause death in patients with isolated left ventricular dilatation (ILVD) and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The key finding was that specific patterns of LGE on CMR provided prognostic information for mortality risk when analyzed separately in ILVD versus DCM cohorts. These results support using LGE characterization to refine risk stratification in non-ischemic LV dilatation phenotypes beyond ejection fraction alone.
Gonçalves T, Duhamel S, Toupin S et al. · Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance : official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Association of lipoprotein(a) with ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
This prospective MARINA-STEMI cohort study examined whether lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury in 518 STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Using multiparametric CMR to quantify myocardial and microvascular damage, the study tested Lp(a) relationships with injury burden and clinical outcomes. The results are clinically relevant because they could identify Lp(a) as a biomarker for CMR-measured injury severity and prognosis in acute myocardial infarction.
Holzknecht M, Tiller C, Lechner I et al. · Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Sustained improvement in sickle cell cardiomyopathy after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is superior to that with disease-modifying therapy.
This prospective clinical trial followed children and young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) undergoing matched-sibling or haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), using serial CMR and echocardiography up to 36 months post-transplant. The key finding was that sustained improvement in sickle cell cardiomyopathy after HSCT was superior to improvement achieved with disease-modifying therapy. This supports HSCT as a more effective strategy for reversing or stabilizing cardiac remodeling in SCD compared with conventional medical therapy.
Rai P, Selukar S, Bi Y et al. · British journal of haematology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Association of Cardiac MRI-Derived Epicardial Adipose Tissue Index With Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.
This retrospective study evaluated 265 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) to determine whether cardiac MRI–derived epicardial adipose tissue index (EATI) predicts adverse outcomes. Using 1.5T balanced steady-state free precession cine imaging to quantify EATI, the study found that higher EATI was associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiac death and HF readmission. Clinically, EATI may serve as an imaging biomarker for risk stratification in HFpEF.
Ma S, Qian L, Lou K et al. · Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗
Impact of the Extent, Pattern, and Location of Replacement Myocardial Fibrosis on Clinical Outcomes in Aortic Regurgitation.
This study assessed how the extent, pattern, and anatomical location of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)-detected replacement myocardial fibrosis on contrast-enhanced CMR relates to major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (moderate-to-severe AR, no significant coronary stenosis). Greater and more clinically unfavorable LGE characteristics were associated with worse clinical outcomes, including cardiovascular mortality, heart transplantation, or heart-failure rehospitalization. The results suggest that detailed LGE phenotyping (beyond presence/absence) can improve risk stratification in AR patients.
Li B, Dai L, Liu Y et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Development and Prospective Validation of an Interpretable Machine Learning Model Integrating Cardiac MRI Extracellular Volume for 1-Year MACE Prediction Post-STEMI.
Researchers developed and prospectively validated an interpretable machine learning model that integrates cardiac MRI extracellular volume (CMR-ECV) with clinical variables to predict 1-year MACE after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with STEMI. Using feature selection with Boruta algorithms, the model demonstrated improved 1-year MACE prediction performance in the prospective cohort compared with non-ECV approaches. Clinically, this provides a more transparent, ECV-informed decision tool for post-STEMI risk assessment and potential treatment targeting.
Zhao Z, Zhang Z, Yang Y et al. · Academic radiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗
Generated automatically on October 21, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published October 14, 2026 – October 21, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.