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A R Fuisz

Publications and source records attributed to A R Fuisz.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Sensitivity and specificity of transesophageal echocardiography for determination of aortic valve morphology.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative recognition of the presence of bicuspid aortic valve can be important in the planning of procedures. Multiplane transesophageal echocardiography may allow more accurate detection of valvular morphology than does biplane transesophageal echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: The studies of 710 patients who subsequently underwent valvular or aortic surgery were reviewed in a blinded fashion. The inclusion criteria were adequate short-axis view and operative note confirmation of aortic valve morphology. Six hundred eight patients were submitted to further analysis. Four hundred three patients had aortic stenosis as the primary diagnosis. Three hundred sixty patients had biplane examinations and 248 had multiplane examinations. The sensitivity and specificity of the multiplane technique in assessing aortic valve morphology (bicuspid vs tricuspid valve) was 87% and 91%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the biplane technique was 66% and 56%, respectively. Whether valves were calcified or not did not result in major changes in sensitivity and specificity for either technique. CONCLUSIONS: Multiplane transesophageal echocardiography provides a more accurate assessment of preoperative aortic valve morphology than does the biplane approach in the majority of patients.

Adolescent↗

Coronary flow velocity response to adenosine characterizes coronary microvascular function in women with chest pain and no obstructive coronary disease. Results from the pilot phase of the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to develop and validate a definition of coronary microvascular dysfunction in women with chest pain and no significant epicardial obstruction based on adenosine-induced changes in coronary flow velocity (i.e., coronary velocity reserve). BACKGROUND: Chest pain is frequently not caused by fixed obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) of large vessels in women. Coronary microvascular dysfunction is an alternative mechanism of chest pain that is more prevalent in women and is associated with attenuated coronary volumetric flow augmentation in response to hyperemic stimuli (i.e., abnormal coronary flow reserve). However, traditional assessment of coronary volumetric flow reserve is time-consuming and not uniformly available. METHODS: As part of the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study, 48 women with chest pain and normal coronary arteries or minimal coronary luminal irregularities (mean stenosis = 7%) underwent assessment of coronary blood flow reserve and coronary flow velocity reserve. Blood flow responses to intracoronary adenosine were measured using intracoronary Doppler ultrasonography and quantitative angiography. RESULTS: Coronary volumetric flow reserve correlated with coronary velocity reserve (Pearson correlation = 0.87, p < 0.001). In 29 (60%) women with abnormal coronary microcirculation (mean coronary flow reserve = 1.84), adenosine increased coronary velocity by 89% (p < 0.001) but did not change coronary cross-sectional area. In 19 (40%) women with normal microcirculation (mean flow reserve = 3.24), adenosine increased coronary velocity and area by 179% (p < 0.001) and 17% (p < 0.001), respectively. A coronary velocity reserve threshold of 2.24 provided the best balance between sensitivity and specificity (90% and 89%, respectively) for the diagnosis of microvascular dysfunction. In addition, failure of the epicardial coronary to dilate at least 9% was found to be a sensitive (79%) and specific (79%) surrogate marker of microvascular dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary flow velocity response to intracoronary adenosine characterizes coronary microvascular function in women with chest pain in the absence of obstructive CAD. Attenuated epicardial coronary dilation response to adenosine may be a surrogate marker of microvascular dysfunction in women with chest pain and no obstructive CAD.

Adenosine↗

Syncope and inducible ventricular fibrillation in a woman with hemochromatosis.

BACKGROUND: Hemochromatosis has been associated with atrial tachyarrhythmias and congestive heart failure as a consequence of dilated or restrictive cardiomyopathy. Inducible ventricular fibrillation has not been previously described. METHODS AND RESULTS: An electrophysiologic study was conducted in a woman after two episodes of syncope. Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PMVT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) were induced with ventricular programmed stimulation. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated signal loss in the liver consistent with hemochromatosis, but normal cardiac size and function. Hematologic studies supported a diagnosis of hemochromatosis. CONCLUSION: Cardiac hemochromatosis may be associated with serious ventricular arrhythmias.

Echocardiography↗

Imaging cardiac structure and pump function.

This article describes magnetic resonance imaging approaches for assessing cardiac structure and myocardial pump function. The article is divided into cardiac structure and ventricular function. Throughout, representative images are included. There are numerous applications of magnetic resonance imaging for assessing cardiac structure and function, and magnetic resonance imaging compared favorably to other imaging modalities.

Heart↗

Magnetic resonance angiography.

Since the emergence of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, its clinical applications have seen a logarithmic growth. The advantage of MR imaging is that it offers a vast amount of important clinical information with minimal risk to the patient, and promises to reduce the need for angiographic studies with their attendant morbidity and mortality. We review the applications and recent advances of MR imaging to include coronary imaging of native, bypassed and stented vessels, carotid arteries, peripheral arteries, and the aorta. In addition, we discuss issues of patient preferences and the future directions of MR imaging. We predict that the clinical utility of MR angiography will grow with refinements that will improve speed, resolution, and even the use of spectroscopy to characterize plaque.

Aorta↗