Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Seamus P. Whelton, Michael J. Blaha
Summary: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a direct measure of an individual's coronary atherosclerotic burden. Higher levels of CAC are strongly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and individuals with very high CAC levels have a CVD risk similar to stable persons with a prior CVD event. Conversely, the absence of CAC (CAC=0) is associated with a low long-term risk of CVD, even among groups classified as high risk based on traditional risk factors.
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Angelica Zambrano, Yin Tintut, Linda L. Demer, Jeffrey J. Hsu
Summary: Recent studies have found that high volumes of physical activity in older male endurance athletes are associated with increased levels of coronary artery calcification (CAC), although the exact mechanisms are still not well understood. Possible mechanisms include increased exposure to inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, and oxidized low-density lipoproteins. Other factors such as elevated circulating parathyroid hormone and long-term exposure to non-laminar blood flow in individuals with pre-existing atherosclerosis during strenuous physical activity may also contribute to the increased calcification. Furthermore, the role of testosterone in this process remains uncertain. This review discusses the association between high-volume endurance exercise and CAC in older men, explores potential mechanisms, and provides clinical implications and recommendations for those at risk.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Chan-Jung Liu, Wen-Huang Li, Chung-Hao Li, Jin-Shang Wu, Ze-Hong Lu, Yau-Sheng Tsai, Ting-Hsing Chao, Ho-Shiang Huang
Summary: Nephrolithiasis is significantly associated with coronary artery calcification, but not coronary luminal stenosis. However, the relationship between stone disease and CAD remains controversial, and further studies are needed to validate these findings.
WORLD JOURNAL OF UROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Jade Geerlings-Batt, Zhonghua Sun
Summary: Recent studies have shown that there is a relationship between wide left coronary artery bifurcation angle (LAD-LCx) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Current evidence suggests that individuals with a wider LAD-LCx angle experience altered blood flow dynamics at the bifurcation site, which may increase the risk of developing CAD. However, further research is needed to confirm the causal relationship between LAD-LCx angle and CAD risk factors.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Liu Yang, Peng Peng Xu, U. Joseph Schoepf, Christian Tesche, Balakrishnan Pillai, Rock H. Savage, Chun Xiang Tang, Fan Zhou, Hao Dong Wei, Zhong Qiang Luo, Qing Gen Wang, Chang Sheng Zhou, Meng Jie Lu, Guang Ming Lu, Long Jiang Zhang
Summary: Fractional flow reserve and plaque progression assessed by serial coronary CT angiography predicted the risk of future major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), demonstrating better accuracy compared to traditional assessment markers.
EUROPEAN RADIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Han-Young Jin, Jonathan R. Weir-McCall, Jonathon A. Leipsic, Jang-Won Son, Stephanie L. Sellers, Michael Shao, Philipp Blanke, Amir Ahmadi, Martin Hadamitzky, Yong-Jin Kim, Edoardo Conte, Daniele Andreini, Gianluca Pontone, Matthew J. Budoff, Ilan Gottlieb, Byoung Kwon Lee, Eun Ju Chun, Filippo Cademartiri, Erica Maffei, Hugo Marques, Pedio de Araujo Goncalves, Sanghoon Shin, Jung Hyun Choi, Renu Virmani, Habib Samady, Peter H. Stone, Daniel S. Berman, Jagat Narula, Leslee J. Shaw, Jeroen J. Bax, Kavitha Chinnaiyan, Gilbert Raff, Mouaz H. Al-Mallah, Fay Y. Lin, James K. Min, Ji Min Sung, Sang-Eun Lee, Hyuk-Jae Chang
Summary: The study found that calcified plaque volume is closely related to the progression of coronary artery disease, but this association becomes negative after accounting for baseline plaque volume. Conversely, the percentage of calcified plaque volume is an independent predictor of plaque volume reduction. High CPV is associated with major adverse cardiac events, while high PCPV is inversely related to adverse cardiac events.
JACC-CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Gudrun Feuchtner, Christian Langer, Fabian Barbieri, Christoph Beyer, Wolfgang Dichtl, Guy Friedrich, Wilfried Schgoer, Gerlig Widmann, Fabian Plank
Summary: The study found that Omega-3 PUFA supplementation is associated with reduced burden of non-calcified coronary plaques and lower prevalence of high-risk plaques, indicating its anti-atherogenic effects.
CLINICAL NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Zsofia D. Drobni, Marton Kolossvary, Julia Karady, Adam L. Jermendy, Adam D. Tarnoki, David L. Tarnoki, Judit Simon, Balint Szilveszter, Levente Littvay, Szilard Voros, Gyorgy Jermendy, Bela Merkely, Pal Maurovich-Horvat
Summary: This study found that noncalcified plaque volume is mainly influenced by environmental factors, while coronary artery calcification score and calcified plaque volume are more determined by genetics. This emphasizes the importance of early lifestyle interventions in preventing coronary plaque formation.
CIRCULATION-CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2022)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Alexander C. Razavi, Arthur S. Agatston, Leslee J. Shaw, Carlo N. De Cecco, Marly van Assen, Laurence S. Sperling, Marcio S. Bittencourt, Melissa A. Daubert, Khurram Nasir, Roger S. Blumenthal, Martin Bodtker Mortensen, Seamus P. Whelton, Michael J. Blaha, Omar Dzaye
Summary: This article discusses the calcium density of coronary artery calcium (CAC), including CAC scan acquisition parameters, the pathophysiology of calcified plaques, and epidemiologic evidence relating calcium density to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) outcomes. Recent evidence demonstrates an inverse association between calcium density and lesion vulnerability as well as ASCVD risk.
JACC-CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Omar Dzaye, Alexander C. Razavi, Zeina A. Dardari, Leslee J. Shaw, Daniel S. Berman, Matthew J. Budoff, Michael D. Miedema, Khurram Nasir, Alan Rozanski, John A. Rumberger, Carl E. Orringer, Sidney C. Jr Jr Smith, Ron Blankstein, Seamus P. Whelton, Martin Bodtker Mortensen, Michael J. Blaha
Summary: This study aimed to determine the optimal age for a first CAC scan based on ASCVD risk factors, with the optimal age being 36.8 years in men and 50.3 years in women with diabetes, 42.3 years in men without risk factors, and 57.6 years in women without risk factors.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu-Fang Hsieh, Chih-Kuo Lee, Weichung Wang, Yu-Cheng Huang, Wen-Jeng Lee, Tzung-Dau Wang, Cheng-Ying Chou
Summary: This study focuses on utilizing a territory-based patient-specific approach derived from CCTA to estimate FFR and WSS for coronary arteries. The non-invasive simulation aids in diagnosing coronary stenosis significance and myocardial ischemia probability. By simulating fluid dynamics, mass flow rate estimation and FFR/WSS derivation can be achieved. The territory-based method shows high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in distinguishing between significant and non-significant stenosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Runlei Ma, Marly van Assen, Grigory Sidorenkov, Daan Ties, Gert Jan Pelgrim, Arthur Stillman, Carlo de Cecco, Pim van der Harst, Rozemarijn Vliegenthart
Summary: In both CAD and non-CAD patients, EAT density, but not EAT volume, showed significant associations with PCAT(MA). Men had higher PCAT(MA) and EAT volume independently of disease status, but similar or slightly lower EAT density compared to women. Personalized interpretation and thresholding may be needed due to differences in trends and relations of PCAT(MA) and EAT by sex.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Christian R. Ballegaard, Michael H. C. Pham, Per E. Sigvardsen, J. Tobias Kuhl, Mathias Sorgaard, Mikkel Taudorf, Andreas Fuchs, Borge G. Nordestgaard, Lars Kober, Klaus F. Kofoed
Summary: Enlarged thoracic and abdominal aortic vascular segments are associated with co-existing coronary artery calcification in the general population.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL-CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Yu Jiang, Zhi-Gang Yang, Jin Wang, Rui Shi, Pei-Lun Han, Wen-Lei Qian, Wei-Feng Yan, Yuan Li
Summary: This study used clustering analysis to group T2DM patients and found differences in clinical and coronary plaque characteristics among the groups. This method has the potential to assist in clinical management and stratification of T2DM patients.
CARDIOVASCULAR DIABETOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
B. Y. C. Cheong, J. M. Wilson, S. J. Spann, R. I. Pettigrew, O. A. Preventza, R. Muthupillai
Summary: Coronary artery calcification is a useful indicator for assessing the risk of coronary artery disease and determining the need for statin therapy in high-risk patients. CACS can be detected and quantified within seconds, aiding in a more accurate assessment of the risk in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Correction
Virology
Ian N. Moore, Elaine W. Lamirande, Myeisha Paskel, Danielle Donahue, Heather Kenney, Jing Qin, Kanta Subbarao
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2016)
Article
Microscopy
A. G. Morales, E. S. Stempinski, X. Xiao, A. Patel, A. Panna, K. N. Olivier, P. J. Mcshane, C. Robinson, A. J. George, D. R. Donahue, P. Chen, H. Wen
JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY
(2016)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elizabeth Kittrie, Audie A. Atienza, Robert Kiley, David Carr, Aki MacFarlane, Vinay Pai, Jennifer Couch, Jared Bajkowski, Joseph F. Bonner, Daniel Mietchen, Philip E. Bourne
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Alexander S. Pasciak, Godwin Abiola, Robert P. Liddell, Nathan Crookston, Sepideh Besharati, Danielle Donahue, Richard E. Thompson, Eric Frey, Robert A. Anders, Matthew R. Dreher, Clifford R. Weiss
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGING
(2020)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Nathan R. Crookston, Alexander S. Pasciak, Godwin Abiola, Danielle Donahue, Clifford R. Weiss, Eric C. Frey
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Russell H. Knutsen, Leah M. Gober, Joseph R. Sukinik, Danielle R. Donahue, Elise K. Kronquist, Mark D. Levin, Sean E. McLean, Beth A. Kozel
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2020)
Correction
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Alexander S. Pasciak, Sasicha Manupipatpong, Ferdinand K. Hui, Larry Gainsburg, Rebecca Krimins, M. Christine Zink, Cory F. Brayton, Meaghan Morris, Jaime Sage, Danielle R. Donahue, Matthew R. Dreher, Dara L. Kraitchman, Clifford R. Weiss
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Alexander S. Pasciak, Sasicha Manupipatpong, Ferdinand K. Hui, Larry Gainsburg, Rebecca Krimins, M. Christine Zink, Cory F. Brayton, Meaghan Morris, Jaime Sage, Danielle R. Donahue, Matthew R. Dreher, Dara L. Kraitchman, Clifford R. Weiss
Article
Microscopy
David T. Nguyen, Thomas C. Larsen, Muyang Wang, Russel H. Knutsen, Zhihong Yang, Eric E. Bennett, Dumitru Mazilu, Zu-Xi Yu, Xi Tao, Danielle R. Donahue, Ahmed M. Gharib, Christopher K. E. Bleck, Joel Moss, Alan T. Remaley, Beth A. Kozel, Han Wen
Summary: Pathology protocols involve generating thin sections from tissue blocks, and scout imaging of intact blocks can guide the pathology procedure. Tomosynthesis provides visibility of unstained tissue structures for better analysis.
JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ayele H. Negussie, Quirina M. B. de Ruiter, Hugh Britton, Danielle R. Donahue, Quentin Boffi, Young-Seung Kim, William F. Pritchard, Chrit Moonen, Gert Storm, Andrew L. Lewis, Bradford J. Wood
Summary: This study successfully synthesized radiodense bismuth beads that can be imaged with dual-energy CT and distinguished from iodine contrast. The ability to separate iodine from bismuth may enhance diagnostic information acquired on follow-up CT, facilitating the development of dual drug delivery and dual tracking techniques.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jared S. Rosenblum, Herui Wang, Pauline M. Dmitriev, Anthony J. Cappadona, Panagiotis Mastorakos, Chen Xu, Abhishek Jha, Nancy Edwards, Danielle R. Donahue, Jeeva Munasinghe, Matthew A. Nazari, Russell H. Knutsen, Bruce R. Rosenblum, James G. Smirniotopoulos, Alberto Pappo, Robert F. Spetzler, Alexander Vortmeyer, Mark R. Gilbert, Dorian B. McGavern, Emily Chew, Beth A. Kozel, John D. Heiss, Zhengping Zhuang, Karel Pacak
Summary: Mutations in the EPAS1 gene can lead to a new clinical feature - vascular malformations, which are present in both syndrome patients and mutant mice. The variant allele frequency in patient vessels is higher than in normal tissues, and veins in the murine retina and intracranial dura fail to regress as expected at the developmental time points.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Do-Kyun Kim, Geethani Bandara, Young-Eun Cho, Hirsh D. Komarow, Danielle R. Donahue, Baktiar Karim, Moon-Chang Baek, Ho Min Kim, Dean D. Metcalfe, Ana Olivera
Summary: In patients with systemic mastocytosis (SM), extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by neoplastic mast cells, containing miRNA-30a and miRNA-23a, are found to inhibit osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, leading to reduced bone mass. This suggests potential novel approaches for managing bone disease in mast cell proliferative disorders.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Pashayar P. Lookian, Vikram Chandrashekhar, Anthony Cappadona, Jean-Paul Bryant, Vibhu Chandrashekhar, Jessa M. Tunacao, Danielle R. Donahue, Jeeva P. Munasinghe, James G. Smirniotopoulos, John D. Heiss, Zhengping Zhuang, Jared S. Rosenblum
Summary: Through studying mice, a previously unknown transtentorial venous system (TTVS) connecting venous drainage throughout the brain in humans was discovered and confirmed to be conserved in mice. The research also revealed the drainage pathway of the tentorial plexus during embryonic stages and the importance of TTVS in the early postnatal period.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jared S. Rosenblum, Anthony J. Cappadona, Davis P. Argersinger, Ying Pang, Herui Wang, Matthew A. Nazari, Jeeva P. Munasinghe, Danielle R. Donahue, Abhishek Jha, James G. Smirniotopoulos, Markku M. Miettinen, Russell H. Knutsen, Beth A. Kozel, Zhengping Zhuang, Karel Pacak, John D. Heiss
NEUROLOGY-GENETICS
(2020)