title: Update on cardiac imaging techniques 2013.
abstract: Cardiac imaging is a cornerstone of diagnosis in heart conditions, and an essential tool for assessing prognosis and establishing treatment decisions. This year, echocardiography stands out as a guide in interventional procedures and in choosing the size of the prosthesis. It is also proving to be a valuable technique in low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis. Three-dimensional echocardiography is advancing our knowledge of cardiac anatomy and valvular measurements. The parameters indicating tissue deformation have predictive power in valve disease and in the follow-up of drug-induced cardiotoxicity. Single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography are proving useful in ischemic heart disease and in the diagnosis of cardiac inflammation and infections. The role of computed tomography has been strengthened in noninvasive coronary angiography, the emergency room management of chest pain, assessment of chronic occlusions, and morphologic study of coronary plaque. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging remains the gold standard for tissue characterization in ischemic heart disease and cardiomyopathies, and is assuming a greater role in stress studies and in the assessment of myocardial viability.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: rociogorta@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Orta
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mahía-Casado
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gómez de Diego
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cardiología, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barba-Cosials
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: José F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Palomares
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aguadé-Bruix
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Candell-Riera
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Cardiología nuclear; Computed tomography; Echocardiography; Ecocardiografía; Magnetic resonance imaging; Nuclear cardiology; Resonancia magnética; Tomografía computarizada