What’s New in Cardiac MRI?

October 22, 2026 · 38 articles · 15 research themes · covering October 15, 2026 – October 22, 2026

Overview

Across this week’s papers, a clear theme is the push toward more precise, scalable cardiovascular phenotyping using advanced imaging—especially cardiac MRI—and increasingly sophisticated AI. Reviews and studies highlight how deep learning can extract prognostic and phenotypic signals from routine imaging, while multiple CMR-focused works aim to make quantification faster, more reproducible, and more clinically accessible (e.g., non-contrast rapid injury imaging, simplified amyloid burden estimation, and harmonization needs for radiomics across scanners/contrast protocols). Together, these efforts point to a future where imaging biomarkers are both more automated and more standardized.

A second dominant thread is “microvascular and subtle dysfunction” as a driver of downstream organ injury and clinical risk. Evidence links coronary microvascular dysfunction to elevated LV filling pressures in HFpEF physiology, Lp(a) to infarct and microvascular damage after STEMI, and impaired LV myocardial strain (even with preserved ejection fraction) to cerebral small vessel disease burden. Similar mechanistic thinking appears in pulmonary hypertension work using 4D-flow wall shear stress to non-invasively reflect hemodynamic uncoupling, and in valve/structural heart studies where CMR-derived parameters help predict residual dysfunction after interventions.

Finally, the digest underscores the importance of context-specific interpretation and longitudinal monitoring—particularly in cardiomyopathies, transplantation, and systemic diseases. Studies and protocols address heterogeneity in inflammatory cardiomyopathies, normal trajectories of post-transplant parametric mapping changes to avoid false alarms for rejection, and the need for careful surveillance after transplant where symptoms may be masked. Parallel clinical narratives in cardio-oncology and rare cardiomyopathies reinforce that imaging patterns (and diagnostic pitfalls) can be decisive for identifying the true mechanism of injury and guiding risk-adapted care.

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AI & Machine Learning for Cardiac Imaging

Primary cardiac angiosarcoma: From pathogenesis to therapeutic strategies.

This review article synthesized evidence on primary cardiac angiosarcoma (PCAS), focusing on molecular pathogenesis and emerging therapeutic strategies in a disease characterized by aggressive vascular endothelial origin. The key finding was that genomic/transcriptomic studies implicate recurrent drivers such as POT1, KDR/VEGFR2, and PLCG1 mutations, CDKN2A loss, and activation of angiogenic pathways, alongside an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Scientifically and clinically, these mechanistic insights support development of targeted and immunomodulatory therapies for a cancer with typically <1-year median survival.

Gao H, Zhang H, Zhu D et al. · Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

HeartFusion: A Cross-Modality Transformer for Accurate Cardiovascular Disease Diagnosis and Severity Assessment.

This 2026 JoVE study developed HeartFusion, a cross-modality Transformer that integrates electrocardiogram (ECG) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging for cardiovascular disease diagnosis and severity assessment. The key finding is that the model uses wavelet-derived ECG time-frequency representations and CMR structure encoding (via TransUNet) with cross-modal attention to improve diagnostic prediction and ordinal severity estimation. This provides a clinically relevant AI framework for combining electrophysiology and anatomy to more accurately stratify cardiovascular disease severity.

Ji Y, Hu Y · Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

Machine Learning and Post-Hoc Feature Attribution for Predicting Cardiac MRI Motion Artifacts: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

This retrospective cohort study trained machine learning models to predict the occurrence of cardiac MRI motion artifacts in 514 adult patients undergoing non-sedated CMR using baseline psychological and physiological indicators. The key finding was that an eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model achieved the best discrimination (AUC 0.875) for artifact prediction. Practically, accurate pre-scan prediction could reduce rescans and improve workflow and patient experience in CMR by targeting interventions to high-risk patients.

Li Y, Cai Q, Li L et al. · Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

AI and Deep Learning in Cardiovascular Imaging: From Risk Stratification to Precision Phenotyping.

This review studied how artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning can be applied to cardiovascular imaging for risk stratification and precision phenotyping across modalities such as chest radiography and computed tomography. It found that modern deep-learning architectures and training strategies can extract quantitative prognostic and phenotypic features from routine images that exceed conventional interpretation capacity. The work is significant because it consolidates current evidence and technical approaches that could enable more scalable, data-driven cardiovascular diagnosis and outcome prediction.

Diao K, Lu J, Dimitrakakis A et al. · Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

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Cardiac MRI Quantification & Radiomics Harmonization

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. In eight healthy volunteers undergoing MOLLI T1 mapping at mid-ventricular level with and without gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) or gadofosveset trisodium, the key finding was that radiomic feature values differed depending on field strength and the specific contrast agent used. The clinical significance is that radiomics-based biomarkers require harmonisation across scanners and contrast protocols to avoid spurious differences in downstream models.

Lin K, Sarnari R, Gordon DZ et al. · Journal of imaging informatics in medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

Latent Interpolation Learning Using Diffusion Models for Cardiac Volume Reconstruction.

This engineering study proposed a Cardiac Latent Interpolation Diffusion (CaLID) framework to reconstruct 3D cardiac volumes from sparsely acquired 2D short-axis CMR slices without relying on predefined interpolation schemes or additional semantic inputs. The abstract provided does not include quantitative reconstruction performance metrics because the text is truncated. The scientific significance is that diffusion-based latent interpolation could improve volumetric cardiac assessment from limited CMR acquisitions, potentially reducing scan burden while maintaining accuracy.

Bubeck N, Shit S, Chen C et al. · IEEE transactions on medical imaging · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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CMR Techniques for Myocardial Injury (Non-contrast/rapid)

Visualization of post-STEMI myocardial infarction and microvascular obstruction with non-contrast, free-breathing whole- heart iT2prep-IR BOOST.

This validation study evaluated a non-contrast, free-breathing 3D whole-heart T1/T2 CMR technique (iT2prep-IR BOOST) for rapid assessment of myocardial injury after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The key finding was that iT2prep-IR BOOST enabled <8-minute imaging and provided diagnostic accuracy and quantitative injury assessment compared with conventional contrast-enhanced CMR approaches. This is important because it could expand CMR risk stratification in STEMI by reducing scan time, eliminating breath-holding, and avoiding contrast use.

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 ↗

Fully quantitative CMR rest perfusion reveals myocardial perfusion abnormality in Kawasaki disease: Association with left ventricular Remodeling.

This prospective single-center study investigated myocardial perfusion abnormalities in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) using fully quantitative cardiac MRI (rest perfusion) and examined associations with left ventricular (LV) remodeling in 87 KD patients (mean age 7.5 years). It found that quantitative rest perfusion measurements identified myocardial perfusion abnormalities and that these abnormalities were associated with subsequent or concurrent LV remodeling. The study is significant because it provides objective imaging evidence of myocardial microvascular/perfusion injury in KD and links it to structural remodeling relevant to prognosis.

Zhou Z, Ye P, Wang C et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

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Myocardial Strain, Mechanics & Ventricular Function

Life-Course Blood Pressure Trajectories and Focal Myocardial Fibrosis in Older Age in MyoFit46.

This MyoFit46 study examined whether life-course blood pressure (BP) trajectories predict later-life focal left ventricular fibrosis measured by LGE-CMR at age ~77 years. The key finding was that patterns of systolic and diastolic BP over adulthood—captured as steepness (rate of change) and cumulative burden (area under the trajectory)—were associated with the extent of LGE-defined fibrosis using the 3-SD or 5-SD methods. This is significant because it links long-term BP exposure to structural myocardial injury, supporting earlier BP management to reduce fibrotic remodeling in older age.

Topriceanu CC, Webber M, Shiwani H et al. · Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979) · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy: A comprehensive review of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management.

This 2026 narrative review synthesized evidence on cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) in patients with liver cirrhosis, focusing on pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, imaging modalities, biomarkers, and management. The key finding is that CCM is common but underrecognized, with reported prevalence varying widely (29% to 67.2%) depending on diagnostic criteria. Clinically, the review emphasizes the importance of standardized diagnosis—especially in the liver transplantation setting—using advanced imaging and biomarker approaches to guide management.

Zhang L, Yi J · Medicine · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

Effects of testosterone on exercise capacity in postmenopausal women with stage B heart failure.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial studied whether transdermal testosterone 5 mg/day for 4 months improves exercise capacity in postmenopausal women (≥55 years) with stage B heart failure and reduced V˙O2peak. The abstract provided does not include the trial’s results due to truncation. If effective, testosterone could represent a targeted hormonal intervention to improve functional capacity in women with early (stage B) heart failure.

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 secondary analysis studied cardiovascular effects of cortisol-lowering therapy with evening metyrapone dosing (500 mg at 6 PM and 250 mg at 10 PM) in 15 patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS). The abstract provided does not include the specific cardiovascular outcomes because the methods/results are truncated. Clinically, clarifying how metyrapone alters blood pressure regulation, cardiac fat, and myocardial function could inform risk reduction strategies for MACS-associated cardiovascular morbidity.

Niziolek H, Just I, Baumgartner C et al. · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · (2026) · 2 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

Optimizing Echocardiographic Evaluation of Chronic Mitral Regurgitation: Comparison With Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Implications for Guideline Recommendations.

This prospective study evaluated how to optimize American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) criteria for diagnosing severe chronic mitral regurgitation (MR) by comparing transthoracic echocardiography with quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in 177 patients. The abstract provided does not include the comparative performance results because the text is truncated. The work is clinically important because it aims to refine guideline-based echocardiographic decision-making when fewer than four ASE MR criteria are present.

El-Tallawi KC, Angulo C, Chamsi-Pasha M et al. · JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

Left ventricular myocardial strain impairment correlates with cerebral small vessel disease burden in patients with normal ejection fraction.

This cross-sectional study evaluated whether subclinical left ventricular myocardial strain impairment is associated with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden in 139 participants with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction using concurrent cardiac and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It found a correlation between impaired left ventricular myocardial strain and higher CSVD burden despite normal ejection fraction. The findings are clinically important because they suggest that subtle myocardial dysfunction may track neurovascular microvascular injury even when standard systolic function appears preserved.

Wang W, Zhang X, Liang M et al. · Brain research bulletin · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction & HFpEF Pathophysiology

Association of lipoprotein(a) with ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

This prospective MARINA-STEMI cohort study investigated whether lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury in 518 STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The key finding was that Lp(a) levels were associated with multiparametric CMR measures of myocardial and microvascular damage and were evaluated in relation to clinical outcomes. This is clinically significant because it suggests Lp(a) may help identify patients at higher risk of infarct and microvascular injury beyond traditional lipid markers.

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 ↗

Dapagliflozin in phenotypically stratified HFpEF without myocardial fibrosis: the STADIA-HFpEF randomized crossover trial.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 34-week crossover trial (STADIA-HFpEF) studied dapagliflozin in phenotypically stratified HFpEF patients without significant myocardial fibrosis, assessing left ventricular (LV) distensibility and related mechanisms of diastolic stiffness. The key finding was that dapagliflozin improved LV distensibility in the targeted HFpEF phenotype lacking myocardial fibrosis (i.e., where extracellular matrix remodeling is not dominant). Scientifically and clinically, the results support SGLT2 inhibitor therapy as a mechanism-matched treatment for HFpEF patients with preserved cardiomyocyte distensibility potential rather than established fibrotic remodeling.

Scheffer M, van Maarschalkerwaart W, Dong C et al. · European heart journal. Cardiovascular pharmacotherapy · (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 studied coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), focusing on pooled CMD prevalence, post-TAVI changes in coronary flow reserve (CFR) and microvascular resistance, and prognostic impact on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The abstract provided does not include the pooled prevalence, effect sizes, or MACE results because the text is truncated. The analysis is significant because it clarifies how common CMD is after TAVI and whether baseline CMD predicts worse outcomes.

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 study evaluated women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) in the WISE-CVD cohort (n=253) to determine whether coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and impaired LV relaxation contribute to elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). Using invasive coronary functional testing to measure resting LVEDP and coronary microvascular function (with a cardiac MRI subset), it found that CMD-mediated impairment in LV relaxation was associated with higher LVEDP. The findings are important for HFpEF pathophysiology because they link microvascular dysfunction to diastolic filling pressures, potentially guiding targeted diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Ranasinghe S, Tjoe B, Chang J et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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MINOCA & Myocardial Injury Workup Variability

Heterogeneity in the diagnostic management of MINOCA: a UK clinician survey.

This UK cross-sectional online clinician survey studied how clinicians investigate and treat patients with myocardial injury with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA), using two clinical vignettes to represent probable non-ischaemic versus ischaemic aetiologies. The key finding was that diagnostic and management approaches for MINOCA vary substantially across UK clinicians despite guideline recommendations. This matters because inconsistent MINOCA workups may lead to missed aetiology-specific therapies and less reliable risk stratification in a condition affecting roughly one in ten acute MI hospitalisations.

Sykes R, Berry C, Brown S et al. · Open heart · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Cardiac Amyloidosis Imaging & Risk Stratification

Septal thickness to QRS voltage ratio in Lead I/aVR: A simple tool for estimating cardiac amyloid burden.

This diagnostic study assessed whether an integrated echocardiographic-electrocardiographic (echo-ECG) index—maximum septal thickness (MST) divided by QRS voltage in lead I and/or aVR—estimates cardiac amyloid burden in patients with suspected or confirmed cardiac amyloidosis. It found that the MST/QRS voltage ratio correlated with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)–derived extracellular volume (ECV), which is the reference standard for noninvasive amyloid quantification. The work is significant because it proposes a simple, widely available tool that could improve amyloid risk stratification when CMR ECV is not feasible.

Sclafani M, Arcari L, Tini G et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · 1 citations · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Cardiomyopathies: Hypertrophic & Dilated/Isolated LV Dilatation

Prognostic Value of Late Gadolinium Enhancement Findings in Isolated Left Ventricular Dilatation and Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

This bicentric retrospective study evaluated whether late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)—including LGE extent, location, and number of LGE areas—predicts all-cause death separately in isolated left ventricular dilatation (ILVD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The key finding was that LGE characteristics had prognostic value for mortality, with predictive performance assessed using propensity-score matching to balance ILVD/DCM groups. Clinically, incorporating LGE patterning into CMR interpretation could improve risk stratification and guide follow-up intensity in ILVD and DCM patients.

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 ↗ · Free PDF ↗

The Innocent Delta Wave in Progressive Cardiomyopathy - Culprit vs Bystander.

This case report studied a 34-year-old man with progressive cardiomyopathy presenting with recurrent palpitations, atrial fibrillation, and an acute ischemic stroke, in the context of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and a family history of HCM with high-grade conduction disease. It found that electrocardiographic features after cardioversion included a short PR interval and that the clinical course implicated an “innocent delta wave” as a bystander rather than the primary driver of the arrhythmia/stroke presentation. The report is significant because it highlights diagnostic pitfalls in interpreting delta waves in HCM patients and underscores the need to identify the true arrhythmic and structural mechanisms behind thromboembolic events.

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 examined 253 low-risk hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients who maintained reliably documented stable exercise habits during follow-up, stratified into sedentary, mild, and vigorous exercise groups. It found that sustained regular exercise was associated with a more favorable clinical phenotype and better follow-up outcomes compared with sedentary behavior among low-risk patients. The study is significant because it supports the concept that exercise participation may modify risk expression in HCM, informing counseling and long-term management strategies.

Pelliccia A, Ferrera A, Daniello CD et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

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Cardiomyopathies: Inflammatory & Eosinophilic (Loeffler’s)

Loeffler’s Endomyocarditis: Clinical characteristics and outcomes from a tertiary care centre registry.

This retrospective single-center registry studied patients diagnosed with Loeffler’s endomyocarditis (the cardiac manifestation of hypereosinophilic syndrome) between 2017 and 2025, including 18 patients with clinical data, biomarkers, echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and endomyocardial biopsies (n=8). It found two distinct clinical patterns via hierarchical clustering: an acute inflammatory form with elevated troponin T, C-reactive protein, fever, and subepicardial late gadolinium enhancement, and a more chronic/restrictive phenotype. The findings are significant because they characterize disease heterogeneity and may help clinicians anticipate presentation and tailor monitoring and treatment intensity.

Buske P, Krieghoff C, Lücke C et al. · International journal of cardiology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Cardiomyopathies: Viral/Immune-Related Myocarditis Signals

[Cardiac involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies].

This scoping review summarized cardiac involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), focusing on prevalence, pathophysiology, clinical spectrum, diagnostic strategies, and treatment options. The key finding was that cardiac manifestations—especially subclinical myocarditis—are more common than recognized clinically and are often missed due to nonspecific or absent symptoms. This is significant because it provides practical guidance for rheumatologists to improve detection and management of cardiac disease in IIM.

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).

This prospective longitudinal CMR study compared recovered COVID-19 patients with recovered non-COVID-19 viral respiratory infection patients to quantify myocardial inflammation and involvement after infection. The key finding (as the study’s objective) is to determine whether COVID-19 leads to greater or more persistent CMR-detected myocardial inflammation than non-COVID viral illnesses. The results are significant for post-infection cardiac risk assessment and for interpreting CMR findings in the context of myocarditis-like signals after 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 ↗

[Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy: advances in diagnosis and management].

This narrative review studied advances in diagnosis and management of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)-associated cardiomyopathy, focusing on pediatric DMD patients with insidious cardiac involvement. It highlights cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and speckle-tracking echocardiography for precise assessment, and discusses evolving therapies including glucocorticoids, cardiovascular drugs, and emerging gene therapy/cell therapy/molecularly targeted drugs. The review is significant because it consolidates current and emerging approaches to improve prognosis in DMD patients whose heart failure drives outcomes.

Gu J, Liu YH, Hong SQ · Zhongguo dang dai er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of contemporary pediatrics · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

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Congenital/Structural Heart Disease & Post-Intervention RV 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 repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rToF) with contemporaneous ECG, echocardiography, and CMR (2019–2025) to determine relationships between septal mechanics and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. The key finding was that septal dysfunction and abnormal systolic stretch were associated with RV dysfunction, particularly in the context of electro-mechanical dyssynchrony (EMD)-related RV impairment. This supports using septal strain-based mechanics as an echocardiographic/CMR-linked marker to identify rToF patients at risk for progressive RV failure.

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 evaluated CMR predictors of residual pulmonary regurgitation (PR), residual right ventricular enlargement (RVE), and residual biventricular imbalance (BVI) after self-expanding percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (Pulsta PPVI). The key finding was that specific pre- and/or post-procedural CMR-derived parameters could predict residual PR and incomplete RV/biventricular recovery despite meeting RV volume threshold–based indications. Clinically, these CMR predictors could refine patient selection and procedural planning for PPVI in patients with heterogeneous RV outflow tract anatomy.

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 case report studied prenatal detection of a distal aortopulmonary window in a single fetus referred for fetal cardiac MRI after suboptimal great-vessel visualization on ultrasound. Fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a distal aortopulmonary window with a characteristic “heart-shaped” configuration of the great vessels. The finding supports fetal cardiac MRI as a complementary tool to echocardiography for characterizing complex fetal outflow tract abnormalities when ultrasound is limited.

Verley M, Anquetil S, Ferreira LN et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Pulmonary Hypertension & Right Heart Hemodynamics

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. The key finding was that WSS measured in the main, right, and left pulmonary arteries in retrospective (41 PH, 23 non-PH) and prospective (23 PH, 17 healthy controls) cohorts could distinguish PH status and relate to disease severity via RV-PA uncoupling prediction. This is significant because it supports a radiation-free alternative to invasive right heart catheterisation for PH detection and hemodynamic phenotyping.

Statton B, Armour C, Leong K et al. · Pulmonary circulation · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Ablation Lesion Imaging & Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up

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). The key finding was that LGE enhancement patterns changed over time after PFA, reflecting lesion maturation from early to later stages. This matters for improving understanding of PFA lesion kinetics and potentially optimizing ablation strategies and follow-up imaging in atrial fibrillation.

Moersdorf M, Forkmann M, Abou-Khalil M et al. · Heart rhythm · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Transplantation & Allograft Surveillance

Sustained improvement in sickle cell cardiomyopathy after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is superior to that with disease-modifying therapy.

This prospective clinical trial studied serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and echocardiography in children and young adults with sickle cell disease (HbSS and related genotypes) undergoing matched-sibling or haploidentical allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), compared with disease-modifying therapy. HSCT produced sustained improvement in sickle cell cardiomyopathy over up to 36 months of follow-up that was superior to improvement with disease-modifying therapy. These findings support HSCT as a more durable strategy for reversing SCD myocardial remodelling, with CMR providing objective longitudinal cardiac outcome assessment.

Rai P, Selukar S, Bi Y et al. · British journal of haematology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

Multi-center study of CMR versus cardiac catheterization with endomyocardial biopsy for pediatric transplant surveillance: study protocol.

This 2026 multi-center study protocol will evaluate non-invasive cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) using T1 and T2 parametric mapping plus blood biomarkers (including cell-free DNA and microRNA) against the standard invasive approach of cardiac catheterization with endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) for pediatric heart transplant surveillance. The key aim is to validate predictive modeling for acute allograft rejection (AR) in pediatric heart transplant recipients, where EMB remains the current standard despite invasiveness. If successful, the study could enable safer, less burdensome AR monitoring in children by replacing or reducing EMB frequency using CMR and molecular biomarkers.

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 2026 case report described 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 was rapid CAV progression presenting with atypical chest discomfort and culminating in sudden cardiac death, illustrating that denervation after transplant can mask angina. Clinically, the report highlights the need for early, vigilant CAV surveillance and risk stratification soon after heart transplantation.

Dix M, Iskandar JP, He L et al. · Transplantation proceedings · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

Diffuse elevations of T1 and T2 are common in newly transplanted pediatric cardiac grafts without rejection and decrease over time.

This prospective CMR study examined temporal changes in diffuse T1 and T2 elevations in 14 pediatric heart transplant recipients without acute rejection, using 22 non-contrast 1.5T CMR scans and correlating parametric mapping with diastolic function. The abstract indicates that diffuse T1/T2 elevations are common in newly transplanted grafts (≤6 months) and decrease over time in later grafts (≥12 months), but detailed quantitative results are truncated. Scientifically, establishing this normal post-transplant trajectory helps distinguish subclinical injury from rejection-related myocardial changes on CMR.

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 ↗

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Cardio-Oncology & Cancer-Related Cardiotoxicity

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. The abstract provided does not include the study’s performance results because the text is truncated. If validated, EVCM-based mitotic assessment could improve rapid intraoperative prognostication and guide sentinel lymph node decisions using a technique that examines fresh tissue within minutes.

Hartmann D, Wex K, Braun A et al. · Clinical and experimental dermatology · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗

FOLFOX-Associated Ventricular Fibrillation Arrest in a Patient With Colon Cancer.

This JACC case report studied a 43-year-old man with stage IIIB colon cancer who developed fluoropyrimidine-associated cardiotoxicity manifesting as out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation arrest about 72 hours after the first FOLFOX cycle (leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin). The report describes nonobstructive coronary arteries and severe left ventricular dysfunction on echocardiography (LVEF 25%–30%) with subsequent improvement to ~50% on cardiac MRI without myocardial edema or late gadolinium enhancement. Clinically, it highlights a potentially life-threatening arrhythmic presentation of FOLFOX/5-FU cardiotoxicity and the role of cardiac MRI in characterizing myocardial injury patterns.

Al Osta S, Ahmed M, Xu WD et al. · JACC. Case reports · (2026) · View on PubMed ↗ · Free PDF ↗

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Generated automatically on October 22, 2026. Covers PubMed articles published October 15, 2026 – October 22, 2026. Summaries are AI-generated; always consult the original publication for clinical or research decisions.