PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Sandstede

Publications and source records attributed to J Sandstede.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Optimization of ECG-triggered 3D (23)Na MRI of the human heart.

(23)Na MRI may allow distinction of normal and ischemically injured myocardium. The aim of this study was to optimize (23)Na MRI of the human heart by improvement of spatial resolution and ECG-triggering and to measure the signal/noise of blood and myocardium and the myocardium/blood signal ratios in a volunteer study. A spoiled gradient echo sequence was developed on a 1.5T scanner equipped with a (23)Na heart surface coil. 3D short axis ECG-triggered (23)Na MRI was performed in 10 healthy subjects. The signal/noise of myocardium and blood were 8.2 +/- 0.7 and 18.3 +/- 1.3, respectively, signal ratio myocardium/blood was 0.44 +/- 0.03. This value is in good agreement with the theoretical value of 0.45. ECG gated 3D (23)Na MRI of the human heart is feasible with sufficient spatial resolution and signal/noise ratio. Magn Reson Med 45:164-166, 2001.

Adult↗

Advances in human cardiac 31P-MR spectroscopy: SLOOP and clinical applications.

Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) has revealed a lot about the biochemistry of physiological and pathological processes in the heart. Nevertheless, until today, cardiac 31P-MRS has not had any clinical impact, albeit some pioneering studies demonstrated that 31P-MRS can indeed provide diagnostic information. In this paper, the development of techniques for human cardiac 31P-MRS over the past decade is reviewed, and the requirements for a reliable clinical measurement protocol are discussed. Spatial localization with optimal pointspread function (SLOOP) is a new method to achieve spatial localization and absolute quantitation. Its properties are detailed, and preliminary findings in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy or myocardial infarction are presented.

Heart Diseases↗

(31)P-MR Spectroscopy for the evaluation of energy metabolism in intact residual myocardium after acute myocardial infarction in humans.

OBJECTIVE: Experimental studies have demonstrated that acute myocardial infarction (MI) alters energy metabolism even in non-infarcted adjacent tissue. In patients with subacute MI, the influence of the regional ischemic insult on energy metabolism of intact septal myocardium was analyzed using 31P-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In eight patients with wall motion abnormalities in the anterior wall 31P-spectra were obtained from non-infarcted adjacent septal myocardium, as well as infarcted anterior myocardium (voxel size 25 ccm each) 29+/-8 days after MI using a 3D-CSI technique. Additionally, cardiac function was analyzed using breath-hold cine MRI. MRI was repeated 6 months after revascularization to assess viability of infarcted segments. Eight age-matched healthy volunteers served as control group. RESULTS: According to follow-up MRI 4/8 patients showed regional wall motion recovery. Here, PCr/ATP-ratios were not significantly reduced in intact septal myocardium as well as infarcted anterior myocardium compared to healthy volunteers (1.28+/-0.10 and 1.14+/-0.09 vs. 1.45+/-0.29). No recovery of regional function was detected in 4/8 patients with-therefore-non-viable anterior myocardium. PCr/ATP-ratios were significantly reduced in intact and infarcted myocardium compared with healthy volunteers as well as to patients with wall motion recovery (0.77+/-0.17 and 0.49+/-0.23; P<0.05). DISCUSSION: These preliminary results indicate that energy metabolism is reduced in patients with persisting wall motion abnormalities after myocardial infarction and revascularization in ischemically injured as well as in adjacent non-injured myocardium.

Aged↗

Cardiac metabolism and function in patients with multiple sclerosis: a combined 31P-MR-spectroscopy and MRI study.

OBJECTIVE: Involvement of the autonomic system in multiple sclerosis (MS) may concur with dysfunction of the cardiovascular system. The introduction of potentially cardiotoxic immunosuppressive drugs like Mitoxantrone into the treatment of MS warrants proper assessment of preexisting heart disease. However, systematic analyses of functional and metabolic derangements in MS are missing. Using quantitative 31P-MR-spectroscopy (MRS) and MR-imaging (MRI) metabolic and functional parameters were analyzed in patients with MS in comparison to healthy volunteers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: 14/15 patients with MS could be included in the study, as the MRS examination of one patient had to be excluded from analysis due to movement during the examination. Using chemical shift imaging (CSI) and AMARES, phosphocreatine (PCr) to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) ratios, characterizing myocardial high-energy phosphate metabolism, were determined. Additionally, absolute concentrations of PCr and ATP were calculated by SLOOP (Spatial Localization with Optimal Pointspread Function). Analysis of functional changes was performed by Cine-MRI. 14 healthy volunteers matched for age and gender served as control. RESULTS: A significant decrease of absolute PCr concentration was observed in patients with MS compared to matched volunteers (p < 0.05), whereas ATP concentrations showed no significant changes (p = 0.27). Metabolite ratios calculated by SLOOP or AMARES showed a tendency to be reduced in patients, however, did not reach significance (p = 0.08, SLOOP; p = 0.47, AMARES). Using volunteers' mean values +/- 2 x SD as cut off value revealed PCr changes in 5 of 14 patients, whereas only 2 also had pathologic PCr/ATP ratios. Functional analysis by MRI depicted depressed left ventricular ejection fraction in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in cardiac high-energy phosphates in some patients with MS points to a subclinical involvement of the heart. This may be important for treatment with potentially cardiotoxic drugs. Longitudinal studies are need to understand the clinical relevance of our findings.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

[31P-MR spectroscopy of all regions of the human heart at 1.5 T with acquisition-weighted chemical shift imaging].

AIM: Aim of this study was to show whether or not acquisition-weighted chemical shift imaging (AW-CSI) allows the determination of PCr and ATP in the lateral and posterior wall of the human heart at 1.5 T. METHODS: 12 healthy volunteers were examined using a conventional chemical shift imaging (CSI) and an AW-CSI. The sequences differed only in the number of repetitions for each point in k space. A hanning function was used as filter function leading to 7 repetitions in the center of the k space and 0 in the corners. Thus, AW-CSI had the same resolution as the CSI sequence. The results for both sequences were analyzed using identically positioned voxels in the septal, anterior, lateral and posterior wall. RESULTS: The determined averaged AW-CSI signal to noise ratios were higher for PCr by a factor of 1.3 and for ATP by 1.4 than those of CSI. The PCr/ATP ratios were higher by a factor of 1.2 - 1.3 and showed a smaller standard deviation in all locations for AW-CSI. The mean PCr/ATP ratios determined by AW-CSI of septal, lateral and posterior wall were almost identical (1.72 - 1.76), while it was higher in the anterior wall (1.9). CONCLUSIONS: The reduced contamination in AW-CSI improves the signal to noise ratio and the determination of the PCr/ATP ratio in cardiac (31)P spectroscopy compared to CSI with the same resolution. The results in volunteers indicate that AW-CSI renders (31)P spectroscopy of the lateral and posterior wall of the human heart feasible for patient studies at 1.5 T.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Compression repair of ruptured pseudoaneurysms guided by color Doppler ultrasonography: report of two cases.

Noninvasive treatment of ruptured postcatheterization pseudoaneurysms is rare. We report the use of ultrasonographically guided compression repair for the treatment of ruptured pseudoaneurysms in 2 cases. To ensure the immediate stop of bleeding, more compression was applied than for nonruptured pseudoaneurysms, regardless of flow in the femoral artery or vein, thus maximizing the effectiveness of this therapy. With this method, complete thrombosis of the pseudoaneurysm could be achieved in less than 30 minutes. In both cases, ultrasonographically guided compression repair was faster than the time needed to prepare an operating room for surgical treatment. In follow-up examinations, no recurrences or further complications were detected. Ultrasonographically guided compression repair can be used for noninvasive treatment of ruptured pseudoaneurysms in some cases, provided that more compression than indicated for nonruptured pseudoaneurysms is applied. Further clinical experience with more patients will be necessary to determine the exact benefits and possible limitations.

Aged↗

Hybrid cardiac imaging with MR-CAT scan: a feasibility study.

We demonstrate the feasibility of a new versatile hybrid imaging concept, the combined acquisition technique (CAT), for cardiac imaging. The cardiac CAT approach, which combines new methodology with existing technology, essentially integrates fast low-angle shot (FLASH) and echoplanar imaging (EPI) modules in a sequential fashion, whereby each acquisition module is employed with independently optimized imaging parameters. One important CAT sequence optimization feature is the ability to use different bandwidths for different acquisition modules. Twelve healthy subjects were imaged using three cardiac CAT acquisition strategies: a) CAT was used to reduce breath-hold duration times while maintaining constant spatial resolution; b) CAT was used to increase spatial resolution in a given breath-hold time; and c) single-heart beat CAT imaging was performed. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of cardiac imaging using the CAT approach and the potential of this technique to accelerate the imaging process with almost conserved image quality.

Coronary Vessels↗

[Evaluating signal intensity of movement-impaired myocardial segments in MR delayed images after administration of Gd-DTPA. Correlation of regional increase in contraction after revascularization].

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to correlate delayed contrast enhancement of dysfunctional regions of the myocardium after injection of Gd-DTPA with the improvement of regional contractility 3 months after revascularization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eleven patients with coronary artery disease and wall motion abnormalities underwent MR imaging before and 3 months after revascularization therapy (PTCA or CABG). Short-axis images were acquired using a cine gradient echo sequence. After revascularization, a representative slice was analyzed 14 +/- 1 min after injection of 0.1 mmol/kg Gd-DTPA using a T1-weighted turbo fast low-angle shot sequence. Improved systolic wall thickening 3 months after revascularization served as criterion of viability and was correlated with delayed contrast enhancement patterns. RESULTS: After revascularization, 6 patients showed complete recovery of the dysfunctional area, 1 patient partial recovery, and 4 patients remained unchanged. All 4 patients with persisting wall motion abnormalities, 1/6 patients with recovery and the patient with partial recovery revealed a delayed enhancement. CONCLUSIONS: Three months after revascularization, delayed enhancement of dysfunctional myocardium is evident in patients without regional wall motion improvement, while the lack of delayed enhancement correlates with improvement of regional contractility.

Adult↗

[Cardiac energy metabolism in heart valve diseases with 31P MR spectroscopy].

PURPOSE: Heart valve disease combined with left ventricular hypertrophy leads to derangements in cardiac energy metabolism, which can be detected non-invasively by 31P-MR-spectroscopy. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the derangements in cardiac metabolism are reversible after surgical valve replacement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 10 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with aortic stenosis (pressure gradients > 60 mmHg) were included. For assessment of energy metabolism, 31P-MR spectra were obtained with a double oblique 3D-CSI technique (voxel size 25 cm3). In 5 of 10 patients, follow-up examination was performed 3 months after surgical valve replacement (SVR). Left ventricular (LV) function was analyzed by cine MRI. RESULTS: Before SVR the myocardial phosphocreatine to adenosinetriphosphate (PCr-ATP) ratio was significantly (p = 0.0002) reduced to 0.80 +/- 0.25 in patients compared to 1.65 +/- 0.21 in volunteers. 3 months after SVR, LV mass had significantly (p = 0.04) decreased from 238 +/- 33 g to 206 +/- 47 g. At the same time a significant (p = 0.04) increase of the PCr-ATP ratio from 0.80 +/- 0.25 to 1.28 +/- 0.22 was observed. A slight, but not significant, reduction of the phosphodiester ATP ratio was observed before SVR, with a trend towards normalization after SVR. CONCLUSIONS: After SVR, the deranged energy metabolism shows a trend towards normalization. Further follow-up is necessary to determine whether complete normalization of the energetic derangement can be observed over longer periods of time following SVR.

Adult↗

[MR tomography of the heart].

The introduction of magnetic resonance (MR) tomography has fundamentally changed radiological diagnosis for many diseases. Invasive digital subtraction angiography has already been widely replaced by noninvasive MR angiography for most of the vascular diseases. The rapid technical development of MR imaging in recent years has opened new functional imaging techniques. MR imaging of the heart allows simultaneous measurement of morphological and functional parameters in a single noninvasive examination without any radiation exposure. Because of the high spatial resolution and the reproducibility cine MR imaging is now the gold standard for functional analysis. With the improvement of myocardial perfusion and viability studies many diseases of the heart can be diagnosed in a single examination. MR spectroscopy is the only method which allows a view of the metabolism of the heart. New examinations for vascular imaging and flow quantification complete the goal of "one-stop-shop" imaging of the heart. MR imaging is the only diagnostic modality which allows a complete evaluation of many diseases of the heart with one technique, basic examination as well as follow-up studies. The very rapid improvement in MRI will overcome most of the limitations in the near future, especially concerning MR coronary angiography.

Cardiomyopathies↗

Altered energy metabolism after myocardial infarction assessed by 31P-MR-spectroscopy in humans.

The value of 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) as a possible tool to distinguish viable from non-viable tissue after myocardial infarction was analysed in humans. Fifteen patients 3 weeks after anterior myocardial infarction were studied with breath-hold cine MRI and 3D-CSI MRS (1.5 T system). 31P-spectra were obtained from infarcted as well as non-infarcted myocardium (voxel size 25 cm3 each). Gold standard for viability was recovery of regional function, as determined by a control MRI 6 months after revascularization. Ten age-matched healthy volunteers served as control group. No significant difference was found between the phosphocreatine to adenosinetriphosphate (PCr/ ATP) ratio of volunteers (SD 1.72+/-0.31) and non-infarcted septal myocardium of patients. Cine MRI demonstrated recovery of regional function in 10 patients, i. e. 10 patients showed viable and 5 non-viable myocardium. In viable myocardium, the PCr/ATP ratio was 1.47+/-0.38 (non-significant vs volunteers; p>0.05). In the 5 patients with akinetic myocardium, PCr peaks could not be detected. Therefore, calculation of PCr/ATP ratios was not possible. However, a significant reduction of the ATP signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was observed (2.92+/-0.73 vs 6.68+/-0.80; patients vs volunteers; p<0.05). The SNR of ATP of akinetic regions may predict recovery of function after revascularization in patients with myocardial infarction.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Age- and gender-specific differences in left and right ventricular cardiac function and mass determined by cine magnetic resonance imaging.

We examined possible age- and gender-specific differences in the function and mass of left (LV) and right (RV) ventricles in 36 healthy volunteers using cine gradient-recalled echo magnetic resonance imaging. Subjects were divided into four groups (nine men and nine women in each): men aged under 45 years (32 +/- 7), women aged under 45 (27 +/- 6), men aged over 45 (59 +/- 8), and women aged over 45 (57 +/- 9). Functional analysis of cardiac volume and mass and of LV wall motion was performed by manual segmentation of the endocardial and epicardial borders of the end-diastolic and end-systolic frame; both absolute and normalized (per square meter body surface area) values were evaluated. With age there was a significant decrease in both absolute and normalized LV and RV chamber volumes (EDV, ESV), while LV and RV masses remained unchanged. Gender-specific differences were found in cardiac mass and volume (for men and women, respectively: LV mass, 155 +/- 18 and 110 +/- 16 g; LV EDV, 118 +/- 27 and 96 +/- 21 ml; LV ESV, 40 +/- 13 and 29 +/- 9 ml; RV mass, 52 +/- 10 and 39 +/- 5 g; RV EDV, 131 +/- 28 and 100 +/- 23 ml; RV ESV, 53 +/- 17 and 33 +/- 15 ml). Normalization to body surface area eliminated differences in LV volumes but not those in LV mass, RV mass, or RV function. Functional parameters such as cardiac output and LV ejection fraction showed nonsignificant or only slight differences and were thus largely independent of age and gender. Intra- and interobserver variability ranged between 1.4% and 5.9% for all parameters. Cine magnetic resonance imaging thus shows age- and gender-specific differences in cardiac function, and therefore the evaluation of cardiac function in patients should consider age- and gender-matched normative values.

Adult↗

[(23)sodium MRI for infarct imaging of the human heart].

PURPOSE: Sodium is elevated in acute/subacute myocardial infarction due to three distinct mechanisms: Breakdown of ion homeostasis with accumulation of intracellular sodium, extracellular edema formation and, during scar formation, increase of extracellular vs. intracellular space as cardiomyocytes are replaced by connective tissue. 23Na MRI has previously been shown to have the potential to demonstrate myocardial infarction in an animal model. Aim of this study was, therefore, to demonstrate myocardial infarction with the use of 23Na-MRI in patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 10 patients were examined 14 +/- 7 days after first myocardial infarction using a 23Na surface coil at 1.5 T. Double angulated short axis images of the entire heart were imaged using an ECG-triggered 3d-FLASH-sequence (FOV, 450 mm; matrix, 64 x 128; spatial resolution, 3.5 x 7 mm2; slice thickness, 16 mm; 32 acquisitions). Areas of elevated sodium signal intensity were correlated with infarct-related wall motion abnormalities imaged by Cine MRI in breathhold-technique. RESULTS: All patients showed an area of elevated sodium signal intensity that correlated well with the clinically determined localization of myocardial infarction as well as with regional wall motion abnormalities detected by Cine MRI. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated 23Na MR image signal intensity demonstrates subacute myocardial infarction in patients.

Aged↗

Spiral CT angiography of renal arteries: comparison with angiography.

A prospective study was carried out to determine the accuracy of spiral CT angiography (CTA) in the detection of renal artery stenosis (RAS). Eighty-two patients with arterial hypertension underwent CTA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) to exclude RAS. For CTA a contrast medium bolus of 100-150 ml (flow rate 3 ml/s) was injected. A 24 or 40 s CTA was started at the origin of the superior mesenteric artery after a delay time determined by test bolus injection (collimation = 2 mm, pitch = 1/1.5). For stenosis detection transverse images supported by maximum intensity projections (MIP) or multiplanar reconstruction projections were used. Of 197 renal arteries examined (including 33 accessory arteries), 34 RAS were visualized using DSA. With CTA, one hemodynamic RAS was missed and one additional hemodynamic RAS was found. Sensitivity/specificity was calculated to be 94 %/98 %. For hemodynamically relevant RAS (> 50 %) the sensitivity/specificity was 96 %/99 %. CTA additionally depicted five adrenal masses. The high accuracy rate of RAS detection thus allows the use of CTA as a screening method in patients with arterial hypertension to exclude a renovascular cause.

Adult↗

[CINE-MRT for the study of the effects of regional left ventricular wall motion disorders on global heart function after a myocardial infarct and revascularization].

PURPOSE: To determine changes in global cardiac function and mass caused by infarct-associated regional wall motion abnormalities and to compare the changes after revascularization in patients with and without improvement of regional contractility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 21 patients with regional left ventricular wall motion abnormalities and associated coronary artery stenoses requiring revascularization were examined with a Cine FLASH-2D sequence 26 +/- 12 days after their first myocardial infarction and re-examined three months after revascularization. Regional contractility and volumes and masses of both ventricles were determined. RESULTS: After revascularization, regional wall motion improvement led to decreased left ventricular volumes and improved ejection fractions, whereas patients with persisting wall motion defects showed unchanged left ventricular functional parameters. Comparing both groups of patients, the patients with improvement of regional contractility revealed lower end-systolic volumes and higher ejection fractions at follow-up. Cardiac masses and right ventricular parameters were not different, patients with a depressed right ventricular ejection fraction showed improvement at follow-up. DISCUSSION: After myocardial infarction, revascularization of the infarct-related coronary artery leads to an improvement of left ventricular function only if there is also an improvement of regional contractility. An effect on right ventricular function was not observed three months after the first small- or middle-sized myocardial infarction.

Adult↗