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Rationale: To provide an overview of the current status of cardiac multimodality imaging practices in Europe and radiologist involvement using data from the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) MRCT-registry. Materials and methods: Numbers on cardiac CT and MRI examinations were extracted from the MRCT-registry of the ESCR, entered between January 2011 and October 2023 (n = 432,265). Data collection included the total/annual numbers of examinations, indications, complications, and reporting habits. Results: Thirty-two countries contributed to the MRCT-registry, including 29 European countries. Between 2011 and 2022, there was a 4.5-fold increase in annually submitted CT examinations, from 3368 to 15,267, and a 3.8-fold increase in MRI examinations, from 3445 to 13,183. The main indications for cardiac CT were suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) (59%) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement planning (21%). The number of patients with intermediate pretest probability who underwent CT for suspected CAD showed an increase from 61% in 2012 to 82% in 2022. The main MRI indications were suspected myocarditis (26%), CAD (21%), and suspected cardiomyopathy (19%). Adverse event rates were very low for CT (0.3%) and MRI (0.7%) examinations. Reporting of CT and MRI examinations was performed mainly by radiologists (respectively 76% and 71%) and, to a lesser degree, in consensus with non-radiologists (19% and 27%, respectively). The remaining examinations (4.9% CT and 1.7% MRI) were reported by non-radiological specialties or in separate readings of radiologists and non-radiologists. Conclusions: Real-life data on cardiac imaging in Europe using the largest available MRCT-registry demonstrate a considerable increase in examinations over the past years, the vast majority of which are read by radiologists. These findings indicate that radiologists contribute to meeting the increasing demands of competent and effective care in cardiac imaging to a relevant ext

Cardiovascular imaging is exponentially increasing in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapeutic management of patients with cardiovascular disease. The European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) is a non-profit scientific medical society dedicated to promoting and coordinating activities in cardiovascular imaging. The purpose of this paper, written by ESCR committees and Executive board members and approved by the ESCR Executive Board and Guidelines committee, is to codify a standardized approach to creating ESCR scientific documents. Indeed, consensus development methods must be adopted to ensure transparent decision-making that optimizes national and global health and reaches a certain scientific credibility. ESCR consensus documents developed based on a rigorous methodology will improve their scientific impact on the management of patients with cardiac involvement. Critical relevance statement: This document aims to codify the methodology for producing consensus documents of the ESCR. These ESCR indications will broaden the scientific quality and credibility of further publications and, consequently, the impact on the diagnostic management of patients with cardiac involvement. Key Points: Cardiovascular imaging is exponentially increasing for diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapeutic management. The ESCR is committed to promoting cardiovascular imaging. A rigorous methodology for ESCR consensus documents will improve their scientific impact.

Purpose: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a transient but severe acute myocardial dysfunction with a wide range of outcomes from favorable to life-threatening. The current risk stratification scores of TTC patients do not include cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) parameters. To date, it is still unknown whether and how clinical, trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE), and CMR data can be integrated to improve risk stratification. Methods: EVOLUTION (Exploring the eVolution in prognOstic capabiLity of mUlti-sequence cardiac magneTIc resOnance in patieNts affected by Takotsubo cardiomyopathy) is a multicenter, international registry of TTC patients who will undergo a clinical, TTE, and CMR evaluation. Clinical data including demographics, risk factors, comorbidities, laboratory values, ECG, and results from TTE and CMR analysis will be collected, and each patient will be followed-up for in-hospital and long-term outcomes. Clinical outcome measures during hospitalization will include cardiovascular death, pulmonary edema, arrhythmias, stroke, or transient ischemic attack. Clinical long-term outcome measures will include cardiovascular death, pulmonary edema, heart failure, arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events defined as a composite endpoint of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, recurrence of TTC, transient ischemic attack, and stroke. We will develop a comprehensive clinical and imaging score that predicts TTC outcomes and test the value of machine learning models, incorporating clinical and imaging parameters to predict prognosis. Conclusions: The main goal of the study is to develop a comprehensive clinical and imaging score, that includes TTE and CMR data, in a large cohort of TTC patients for risk stratification and outcome prediction as a basis for possible changes in patient management.

The European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) is the European specialist society of cardiac and vascular imaging. This society's highest priority is the continuous improvement, development, and standardization of education, training, and best medical practice, based on experience and evidence. The present intra-society consensus is based on the existing scientific evidence and on the individual experience of the members of the ESCR writing group on carotid diseases, the members of the ESCR guidelines committee, and the members of the executive committee of the ESCR. The recommendations published herein reflect the evidence-based society opinion of ESCR. We have produced a twin-papers consensus, indicated through the documents as respectively "Part I" and "Part II." The first document (Part I) begins with a discussion of features, role, indications, and evidence for CT and MR imaging-based diagnosis of carotid artery disease for risk stratification and prediction of stroke (Section I). It then provides an extensive overview and insight into imaging-derived biomarkers and their potential use in risk stratification (Section II). Finally, detailed recommendations about optimized imaging technique and imaging strategies are summarized (Section III). The second part of this consensus paper (Part II) is focused on structured reporting of carotid imaging studies with CT/MR.

The European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) is the European specialist society of cardiac and vascular imaging. This society's highest priority is the continuous improvement, development, and standardization of education, training, and best medical practice, based on experience and evidence. The present intra-society consensus is based on the existing scientific evidence and on the individual experience of the members of the ESCR writing group on carotid diseases, the members of the ESCR guidelines committee, and the members of the executive committee of the ESCR. The recommendations published herein reflect the evidence-based society opinion of ESCR. The purpose of this second document is to discuss suggestions for standardized reporting based on the accompanying consensus document part I.

Background: Delivering consistent levels of training in cardiac imaging to radiologist is of pivotal importance because of the increasing clinical indications to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Our study sought to capture the heterogeneity of cardiac imaging training programs and to explore residents’ vision on cardiac imaging both in the present and in the future. Methods: Two web-based surveys were created. The first was administered to all chief residents from the 42 University Hospitals within Italy, aiming to explore the local educational offer in cardiac imaging. The second was administered via social media to all Italian residents, including questions about their overall vision regarding cardiac imaging. Results: 42/42 University Hospitals responded to the first survey and 235 residents to the second. There was at least a 64-slice CT scanner and a 1.5 T MR scanner per center. In the majority of sites, the weekly routine consisted of more than 10 CCTA and more than 5 CMR. Approximately, half of the centers used advanced CCTA and CMR techniques. The majority of the interviewed resident (94%) perceived cardiac imaging training to be moderately to very important, while requirement for external educational resources was advocated in 25% of the cases. Conclusion: Our survey highlighted a significant awareness of radiology residents regarding the importance of cardiac imaging in their training curriculum. All centers met the technical requirements for cardiac imaging, limiting its use to basic applications in around half of cases. Implementation of an educational network might be the key for supporting the growth of this subspecialty field.

The original version of this article, published on 05 September 2019, unfortunately contained a mistake. The image of “Jena Valve” in Table 3 was incorrect. The corrected table is given below.(Table presented.).

Aims: In ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) holds the potentiality to improve risk stratification in addition to Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score. Nevertheless, the optimal timing for CMR after STEMI remains poorly defined. We aim at comparing the prognostic performance of three stratification strategies according to the timing of CMR after STEMI. Methods and results: The population of this prospective registry-based study included 492 reperfused STEMI patients. All patients underwent post-reperfusion (median: 4 days post-STEMI) and follow-up (median: 4.8 months post-STEMI) CMR. Left ventricular (LV) volumes, function, infarct size, and microvascular obstruction extent were quantified. Primary endpoint was a composite of all-death and heart failure (HF) hospitalization. Baseline-to-follow-up percentage increase of LV end-diastolic (EDV; DLV-EDV) =20% or end-systolic volumes (ESV; DLV-ESV) =15% were tested against outcome. Three multivariate models were developed including TIMI risk score plus early post-STEMI (early-CMR) or follow-up CMR (deferred-CMR) or both CMRs parameters along with adverse LV remodelling (paired-CMRs). During a median follow-up of 8.3 years, the primary endpoint occurred in 84 patients (47 deaths; 37 HF hospitalizations). Early-CMR, deferred-CMR, and paired-CMR demonstrated similar predictive value for the primary endpoint (C-statistic: 0.726, 0.728, and 0.738, respectively; P = 0.663). DLV-EDV =20% or DLV-ESV =15% were unadjusted outcome predictors (hazard ratio: 2.020 and 2.032, respectively; P = 0.002 for both) but lost their predictive value when corrected for other covariates in paired-CMR model. Conclusion: In STEMI patients, early-, deferred-, or paired-CMR were equivalent stratification strategies for outcome prediction. Adverse LV remodelling parameters were not independent prognosticators.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement in symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis and contraindications to surgery. The procedure has shown to improve patient’s quality of life and prolong short- and mid-term survival in high-risk individuals, becoming a widely accepted therapeutic option which has been integrated into current clinical guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease. Nevertheless, not every patient at high-risk for surgery is a good candidate for TAVR. Besides clinical selection, which is usually established by the Heart Team, certain technical and anatomic criteria must be met as, unlike in surgical valve replacement, annular sizing is not performed under direct surgical evaluation but on the basis of non-invasive imaging findings. Present consensus document was outlined by a working group of researchers from the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) and aims to provide guidance on the utilisation of CT and MR imaging prior to TAVR. Particular relevance is given to the technical requirements and standardisation of the scanning protocols which have to be tailored to the remarkable variability of the scanners currently utilised in clinical practice; recommendations regarding all required pre-procedural measurements and medical reporting standardisation have been also outlined, in order to ensure quality and consistency of reported data and terminology. Key Points • To provide a reference document for CT and MR acquisition techniques, taking into account the significant technological variation of available scanners. • To review all relevant measurements that are required and define a step-by-step guided approach for the measurements of different structures implicated in the procedure. • To propose a CT/MR reporting template to assist in consistent communication between various sites and specialists involved in the procedural pla

Positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have both been used for decades in cardiovascular imaging. Since 2010, hybrid PET/MRI using sequential and integrated scanner platforms has been available, with hybrid cardiac PET/MR imaging protocols increasingly incorporated into clinical workflows. Given the range of complementary information provided by each method, the use of hybrid PET/MRI may be justified and beneficial in particular clinical settings for the evaluation of different disease entities. In the present joint position statement, we critically review the role and value of integrated PET/MRI in cardiovascular imaging, provide a technical overview of cardiac PET/MRI and practical advice related to the cardiac PET/MRI workflow, identify cardiovascular applications that can potentially benefit from hybrid PET/MRI, and describe the needs for future development and research. In order to encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible on the European Radiology and European Journal of Hybrid Imaging web sites. Key Points: • Studies and case-reports indicate that PET/MRI is a feasible and robust technology. • Promising fields of application include a variety of cardiac conditions. • Larger studies are required to demonstrate its incremental and cost-effective value. • The translation of novel radiopharmaceuticals and MR-sequences will provide exciting new opportunities.