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Objective: A recent international, multicenter, double-blinded, randomized trial shows delayed-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) using contrast doses of ≥0.2mmol/kg is effective in the detection and assessment of myocardial infarction (MI), and 0.1mmol/kg is not enough; intermediate doses between 0.1 and 0.2mmol/kg have not been tested. The aim of this study was to prospectively test the performance of DE-MRI using 0.15mmol/kg of contrast agent for the detection of MI. Materials and methods: A total of 31 consecutive patients with chronic MI underwent DE-MRI at 3.0T using both 0.15mmol/kg and 0.2mmol/kg of contrast agent in random order and on separate days. Infarction segment and infarction size were compared on DE-MRI images using a 17-segment model. Bland–Altman analysis was used to analyze correlation and agreement between global infarct sizes. Results: DE-MRI showed enhanced myocardium in all the 31 patients with chronic MI. There was no significant difference between the 0.15mmol/kg and 0.2mmol/kg images in all 31 patients based on the infarction segment (7.87±2.72 vs. 7.81±2.64, respectively; p =0.33). There was no significant difference between the infarction size obtained from 0.15mmol/kg acquisition and that from 0.2mmol/kg acquisition (16.3±7.8% vs. 16.4±7.9%, respectively; p =0.87). A strong correlation between the infarction size obtained from 0.15mmol/kg acquisition and that from 0.2mmol/kg acquisition was indicated through Bland–Altman analysis. Conclusion: DE-MRI at 3.0T using 0.15mmol/kg of contrast agent is effective for the assessment of MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with sliding-window conjugate-gradient highly constrained back-projection reconstruction (SW-CG-HYPR) allows whole left ventricular coverage, improved temporal and spatial resolution and signal/noise ratio, and reduced cardiac motion-related image artifacts. The accuracy of this technique for detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been determined in a large number of patients. We prospectively evaluated the diagnostic performance of myocardial perfusion MRI with SW-CG-HYPR in patients with suspected CAD. A total of 50 consecutive patients who were scheduled for coronary angiography with suspected CAD underwent myocardial perfusion MRI with SW-CG-HYPR at 3.0 T. The perfusion defects were interpreted qualitatively by 2 blinded observers and were correlated with x-ray angiographic stenoses ≥50%. The prevalence of CAD was 56%. In the per-patient analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of SW-CG-HYPR was 96% (95% confidence interval 82% to 100%), 82% (95% confidence interval 60% to 95%), 87% (95% confidence interval 70% to 96%), 95% (95% confidence interval 74% to100%), and 90% (95% confidence interval 82% to 98%), respectively. In the per-vessel analysis, the corresponding values were 98% (95% confidence interval 91% to 100%), 89% (95% confidence interval 80% to 94%), 86% (95% confidence interval 76% to 93%), 99% (95% confidence interval 93% to 100%), and 93% (95% confidence interval 89% to 97%), respectively. In conclusion, myocardial perfusion MRI using SW-CG-HYPR allows whole left ventricular coverage and high resolution and has high diagnostic accuracy in patients with suspected CAD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common mental disorder among women. However, the brain information flow alteration in patients with PPD remains unclear. This study investigated the brain information flow characteristics of patients with PPD and their value for clinical evaluation by using support vector regression (SVR).Methods: Structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 21 patients with PPD and 23 age-, educational level-, body mass index-, and menstruation-matched healthy controls. The preferred information flow direction between local brain regions and the preferred information flow direction index within local brain regions based on non-parametric multiplicative regression granger causality analysis were calculated to determine the global and local brain functional characteristics of the patients with PPD. Pearson's correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship of the information flow characteristics with clinical scales. A predictive model for the mental state of the patients with PPD was established using SVR based on information flow characteristics.Results: The information flow patterns in the amygdala, cingulum gyrus, insula, hippocampus, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and occipital lobe changed significantly in the patients with PPD. The preferred information flow direction between the amygdala and the temporal and frontal lobes significantly correlated with clinical scales. Prediction analysis shows that the information flow patterns can be used to assess depression in patients with PPD.Limitation: This exploratory study has a small sample size with no longitudinal research.Conclusion: The change in information flow pattern in the amygdala may play an important role in the neuropathological mechanism of PPD and may provide promising markers for clinical evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Surface-based morphometric was first applied in PPD patients. • Cortical Structural alterations was observed in PPD patients. • Abnormal cortical structures have a connection with the severity of PPD patients. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious postpartum mental health problem worldwide. However, the cortical structural alterations in patients with PPD remain unclear. This study investigated the cortical structural alterations of PPD patients through multidimensional structural patterns and their potential correlations with clinical severity. High-resolution 3D T1 structural images were acquired from 21 drug-naive patients with PPD and 18 healthy postpartum women matched for age, educational level, and body mass index. The severity of PPD was assessed by using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores. Cortical morphological parameters including cortical thickness, surface area, and mean curvature were calculated using the surface-based morphometric (SBM) method. General linear model (GLM) analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship of cortical morphological parameters with clinical scales. In the present study, PPD patients showed a thinner cortical thickness in the right inferior parietal lobule compared with the healthy controls. Increased surface area was observed in the left superior frontal gyrus, caudal middle frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, insula, and right supramarginal cortex in PPD patients. Likewise, PPD patients exhibited a higher mean curvature in the left superior and right inferior parietal lobule. Furthermore, increased cortical surface area in the left insula had a positive correlation with EPDS scores, and higher mean curvature in the left superior parietal lobule was negatively correlated with EPDS scores. First, SBM cannot reflect the changes of subcortical structures that are considered to play a role in the development of PPD. Second, the sample size of this study is small. These positive results should be interpreted with caution. Third, this cross-sectional study does not involve a comparison of structural MRI before and after pregnancy. The complex cortical structural alterations of patients with PPD mainly involved the prefrontal and parietal regions. The morphometric alterations in these specific regions may provide promising markers for assessing the severity of PPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]