New Perspectives in Cardiac Imaging

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiac imaging is a cornerstone of modern cardiology, providing essential insights into the structure and function of the heart. Recent advancements in this field have revolutionized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, enhancing our ability to manage cardiovascular diseases.

Echocardiography, the most widely used cardiac imaging modality, has seen significant advancements. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is one such innovation, providing detailed information on myocardial deformation and strain. This technique enhances our ability to detect subclinical myocardial dysfunction, which is particularly useful in patients undergoing chemotherapy or those with early-stage heart failure. Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) has also become increasingly prevalent, offering more accurate volumetric measurements and better visualization of complex cardiac structures. This is particularly beneficial in evaluating valvular heart diseases and congenital heart defects, where precise anatomical details are crucial for surgical planning.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has emerged as the gold standard for non-invasive myocardial tissue characterization. Recent developments in CMR include T1 and T2 mapping techniques, which allow for the quantification of myocardial fibrosis and edema. These techniques provide critical information for diagnosing and managing conditions such as myocarditis, cardiomyopathies, and myocardial infarction. Furthermore, the advent of four-dimensional flow CMR (4D flow CMR) enables comprehensive visualization of blood flow patterns within the heart and great vessels. This is particularly useful for assessing complex congenital heart diseases and understanding hemodynamic changes in various cardiac conditions.

Computed tomography (CT) has long been a key player in cardiac imaging, primarily for coronary artery assessment. The introduction of high-resolution and dual-energy CT has significantly improved image quality and diagnostic accuracy. These advancements allow for better visualization of coronary plaques and characterization of their composition, aiding in the risk stratification of patients with coronary artery disease.

This Special Issue explores some of the most promising new perspectives in cardiac imaging, focusing on technological innovations and their clinical implications.

Prof. Dr. George Koulaouzidis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• cardiac imaging
• echocardiography
• cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
• computed tomography