Previous studies suggest an impact of body composition on outcome in melanoma patients. We aimed to determine the prognostic value of CT-based body composition assessment in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for treatment of metastatic disease using a deep learning approach. One hundred seven patients with staging CT examinations prior to initiation of checkpoint inhibition between January 2013 and August 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Using an automated deep learning-based body composition analysis pipeline, parameters for estimation of skeletal muscle mass (skeletal muscle index, SMI) and adipose tissue compartments (visceral adipose tissue index, VAI; subcutaneous adipose tissue index, SAI) were derived from staging CT. The cohort was binarized according to gender-specific median cut-off values. Patients below the median were defined as having low SMI, VAI, or SAI, respectively. The impact on outcome was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank tests. A multivariable logistic regression model was built to test the impact of body composition parameters on 3-year mortality. Patients with low SMI displayed significantly increased 1-year (25% versus 9%, p = 0.035), 2-year (32% versus 13%, p = 0.017), and 3-year mortality (38% versus 19%, p = 0.016). No significant differences with regard to adipose tissue compartments were observed (3-year mortality: VAI, p = 0.448; SAI, p = 0.731). On multivariable analysis, low SMI (hazard ratio (HR), 2.245; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.005–5.017; p = 0.049), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (HR, 1.170; 95% CI, 1.076–1.273; p < 0.001), and Karnofsky index (HR, 0.965; 95% CI, 0.945–0.985; p = 0.001) remained as significant predictors of 3-year mortality. Lowered skeletal muscle index as an indicator of sarcopenia was associated with worse outcome in patients with metastatic melanoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

The diagnostic performance of cardiac MRI feature-tracking strain analysis for acute myocarditis varied among myocardial layers, which might be explained by the pathophysiology of myocarditis. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic performance of layer-specific cardiac MRI feature-tracking (FT) strain analysis in patients with acute myocarditis. Materials and Methods Seventy patients (mean a...

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance in acute peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). A total of 17 patients with PPCM in the acute stage and 15 healthy controls were retrospectively analyzed regarding myocardial function, edema, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and T1 and T2 mappings (T1, T2). Echocardiographic follow-ups were performed. Functional recovery was defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥50%. Patients with PPCM displayed biventricular dysfunction with reduced myocardial strain parameters and left ventricular and atrial dilatation, as well as diffuse myocardial edema (T2 signal intensity ratio: 2.10 ± 0.34 vs. 1.58 ± 0.21, p < 0.001; T1: 1070 ± 51 ms vs. 980 ± 28 ms, p = 0.001; T2: 63 ± 5 ms vs. 53 ± 2 ms, p < 0.001). Visual myocardial edema was present in 10 patients (59%). LGE was positive in 2 patients (12%). A total of 13 patients (76%) showed full LVEF recovery. The absence of visual myocardial edema and impairment of strain parameters were associated with delayed LVEF recovery. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed global longitudinal strain as an independent prognostic factor for LVEF recovery. In conclusion, biventricular systolic dysfunction with diffuse myocardial edema seems to be present in acute PPCM. Myocardial edema and strain may have prognostic value for LVEF recovery.

Osteomyelitis (OM) remains one of the most feared complications in bone surgery and trauma. Its diagnosis remains a major challenge due to lack of guidelines. The aim of this study was to prospectively analyze the value of the most common and available diagnostic tools and to establish an OM score to derive treatment recommendations. All patients with suspected OM were included in a prospective pilot study. All patients underwent blood sampling for C-reactive protein and white blood cell count analysis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and microbiologic and histopathologic samples, were taken from representative sites of initial debridement. All patients were treated according to their OM test results and followed for at least one year. Subsequently, the value of individual or combined diagnostic tools was analyzed in patients with confirmed OM and in patients in whom OM was ruled out. Based on these findings, an OM score was developed that included MRI, microbiology, and histopathology. The score identified all control patients and all but one OM patient, resulting in a correct diagnosis of 93.3%, which was validated in a second independent larger cohort. This was the first study to analyze the value of the most commonly used tools to diagnose OM. The proposed OM score provides a simple scoring system to safely interpret test results with high accuracy.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate cardiac abnormalities in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors of critical illness and to determine whether temporary acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with more pronounced findings on cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Methods and Results: There were 2175 patients treated in the ICU (from 2015 until 2021) due to critical illness who were screened for study eligibility. Post‐ICU patients without known cardiac disease were prospectively recruited from March 2021 to May 2022. Participants underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance including assessment of cardiac function, myocardial edema, late gadolinium enhancement, and mapping including extracellular volume fraction. Student t test, Mann‐Whitney U test, and χ ² tests were used. There were 48 ICU survivors (46±15 years of age, 28 men, 29 with AKI and continuous kidney replacement therapy, and 19 without AKI) and 20 healthy controls who were included. ICU survivors had elevated markers of myocardial fibrosis (T1: 995±31 ms versus 957±21 ms, P <0.001; extracellular volume fraction: 24.9±2.5% versus 22.8±1.2%, P <0.001; late gadolinium enhancement: 1% [0%–3%] versus 0% [0%–0%], P <0.001), more frequent focal late gadolinium enhancement lesions (21% versus 0%, P =0.03), and an impaired left ventricular function (eg, ejection fraction: 57±6% versus 60±5%, P =0.03; systolic longitudinal strain: 20.3±3.7% versus 23.1±3.5%, P =0.004) compared with healthy controls. ICU survivors with AKI had higher myocardial T1 (1002±33 ms versus 983±21 ms; P =0.046) and extracellular volume fraction values (25.6±2.6% versus 23.9±1.9%; P =0.02) compared with participants without AKI. Conclusions: ICU survivors of critical illness without previously diagnosed cardiac disease had distinct abnormalities on cardiovascular magnetic resonance including signs of myocardial fibrosis and systolic dysfunction. Findings were more abnormal in participants who experienced AKI with necessity of continuous kidney replacement therapy during their ICU stay. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT 05034588.

Purpose To evaluate cardiac MRI characteristics in patients with suspected hypersensitivity myocarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Materials and Methods Patients clinically suspected of acute myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination were retrospectively analyzed and compared against a healthy control group. Cardiac MRI protocol included parameters such as T1 and T2 relaxation times, extracellular volume (ECV), T2 signal intensity ratio, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). Lymph node size was assessed in the patient group on the injection side. Student t-test, analyses of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey post-hoc test, and χ² test were used for statistical analysis. Results 20 patients with clinically suspected post-vaccine myocarditis (28 ± 12 years; 12 men) and 40 controls (31 ± 11 years; 25 men) were evaluated. According to the 2018 Lake Louise criteria (LLC), patients with clinically suspected myocarditis were further subdivided into an LLC-positive group (n = 9) and an LLC-negative group (n = 11). The mean time of symptom onset after vaccination was 1.1 ± 1.2 days (LLC-positive) and 6.5 ± 9.2 days (LLC-negative). Group differences in inflammatory variables between myocarditis patients and control subjects were more pronounced in the LLC-positive group (e. g., T1 relaxation time: 1041 ± 61 ms [LLC positive] vs. 1008 ± 79 ms [LLC-negative] vs. 970 ± 25 ms [control]; p <.001; or T2 signal intensity ratio 2.0 ± 0.3 vs. 1.6 ± 0.3 [LLC-negative] and vs. 1.6 ± 0.3 [control], p = .012). LLC-positive patients were significantly faster in receiving an MRI after initial symptom onset (8.8 ± 6.1 days vs. 52.7 ± 33.4 days; p = .001) and had higher troponin T levels (3938 ± 5850 ng/l vs. 9 ± 11 ng/l; p <.001). LGE lesions were predominantly located at the subepicardium of the lateral wall. Axillary lymphadenopathy was more frequent in the LLC-positive group compared to the LLC-negative group (8/9 [89 %] vs. 0/11 [0 %], p < 0.001). Conclusion Vaccine-induced myocarditis should be considered in patients with acute symptom onset after mRNA vaccination, especially if elevated serum troponin T is observed. Imaging findings of vaccine-induced myocarditis are similar to virus-induced myocarditis, allowing for the use of the Lake Louise Criteria for diagnostic purposes. Key Points: Citation Format Ziel Analyse der kardialen MRT-Befunde bei Patienten mit Hypersensitivitätsmyokarditis nach mRNA-COVID-19-Impfung. Material und Methoden Patienten mit klinischem Verdacht auf akute Myokarditis nach mRNA-COVID-19-Impfung wurden retrospektiv analysiert und mit einer gesunden Kontrollgruppe verglichen. Das Herz-MRT-Protokoll enthielt Parameter wie T1- und T2-Relaxationszeiten, extrazelluläres Volumen (EZV), die T2-Signalintensitätsratio und Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE). Die axilläre Lymphknotengröße bei den Patienten wurde auf der Impfseite bestimmt. Für die statistische Analyse wurden der Student-t-Test, Varianzanalysen (ANOVA) mit Tukey-Post-hoc-Test und der χ²-Test verwendet. Ergebnisse 20 Patienten mit Verdacht auf Myokarditis nach Impfung (28 ± 12 Jahre; 12 Männer) und 40 Kontrollen (31 ± 11 Jahre; 25 Männer) wurden analysiert. Gemäß der 2018er Lake-Louise-Kriterien (LLC) wurden die Patienten in eine LLC-positive Gruppe (n = 9) und eine LLC-negative Gruppe (n = 11) unterteilt. Die mittlere Zeit nach Impfung bis zum Symptombeginn betrug 1,1 ± 1,2 Tage (LLC-positiv) bzw. 6,5 ± 9,2 Tage (LLC-negativ). Die Gruppenunterschiede der Entzündungsparameter zwischen Myokarditispatienten und Kontrollen waren in der LLC-positiven Gruppe ausgeprägter (z. B. T1-Relaxationszeit: 1041 ± 61 ms [LLC-positiv] vs. 1008 ± 79 ms [LLC-negativ] vs. 970 ± 25 ms [Kontrolle], p <,001; oder T2-Signalintensitätsratio 2.0 ± 0.3 vs. 1.6 ± 0.3 [LLC negativ] und vs. 1.6 ± 0.3 [Kontrolle], p = ,012). LLC-positive Patienten erhielten nach Symptombeginn schneller ein MRT (8,8 ± 6,1 Tage vs. 52,7 ± 33,4 Tage; p = ,001) und hatten höhere Troponin T-Werte (3938 ± 5850 ng/l vs. 9 ± 11 ng/l; p <,001). LGE-Läsionen waren überwiegend subepikardial in der Lateralwand lokalisiert. Axilläre Lymphadenopathien waren in der LLC-positiven Gruppe häufiger als in der LLC-negativen Gruppe (8/9 [89 %] vs. 0/11 [0 %] p <,001). Schlussfolgerung Eine Myokarditis nach mRNA-Impfung sollte bei akutem Auftreten von Symptomen vermutet werden, insbesondere bei erhöhten Troponin-Werten. Die MRT-Befunde einer impfinduzierten Myokarditis sind mit denen einer virusinduzierten Myokarditis vergleichbar, sodass die Lake-Louise-Kriterien zur Diagnosebestätigung angewendet werden können. Kernaussagen: Received: 15 October 2021 Accepted: 14 January 2022 Article published online: 10 March 2022 © 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany