Keeping current with the latest advances in cardiovascular imaging

The past decades have seen the evolution of growing information in correlative and comparative noninvasive imaging studies involving the structure and function of the heart. Noninvasive imaging can now assess virtually every aspect of cardiac function: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, innervation, and its vascular system. With the development of these advanced imaging technologies, the focus of medical care has steadily shifted from clinical history and physical examination to increased reliance on image-guided diagnosis and treatment. Although there are many scientifi c journals and textbooks to read and symposia to attend, it is extremely diffi cult for clinicians to distill the literature into cohesive information for the day-to-day management of patients. Thus, a journal in which experts present clear and concise reviews about the latest advances in cardiovascular imaging should be welcomed and readily accepted. The launch of this new journal, Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports , represents a step toward fulfi lling this unmet clinical need of keeping current. The benefi ts derived from the rapid technologic developments in imaging have revolutionized the entire cardiovascular fi eld. As a result, new disciplines such as molecular imaging have been created in cardiovascular imaging. The evolution of fused or integrated imaging systems, such as hybrid positron emission tomography (PET)/CT, PET/MR, and single-photon emission CT (SPECT)/CT, has opened a whole world of new opportunities for cardiovascular imaging; it allows the combination of a highly informative anatomic localization of a lesion or disease process with its functional correlates in the form of perfusion, metabolism, or receptor activation. For example, the stimulus for plaque rupture and thrombus formation leading to acute myocardial infarction is not well defi ned. Even when culprit lesions are identifi ed by coronary angiography, they may not necessarily represent the lesion that ultimately will rupture. Contrarily, plaque rupture occurs frequently in nonculprit or insignifi cantly narrowed coronary arteries. The application of hybrid PET/CT or PET/MR systems may potentially identify the vulnerable plaque within a coronary artery lumen by colocalizing infl ammatory cells (using radionuclide techniques) to the specifi c plaque (using CT or MR) that is vulnerable to rupture. Beyond diagnosis of a disease process, these techniques are rapidly transitioning to help guide therapy, as in PET/CT-guided ablation therapy and MR-guided interventional procedures. Further development and refi nement of the instrumentations and shorter examination times will most likely cause image-guided interventional procedures to become clinically widespread. Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports will place the entire area of cardiovascular imaging in its proper perspective by establishing the indications and limitations of each imaging technique and by summarizing recent advances. Authors will present review articles examining timely topics and the genesis of great ideas that have led the scientifi c fi eld in recent years. Each of the six issues per year will be dedicated to one particular imaging technique: echocardiography, nuclear imaging, cardiac MR, cardiac CT, intravascular imaging, or molecular imaging. Coherent and unifi ed messages of latest advances will be provided in each issue. The articles will be abundantly illustrated with highquality images. Distinguished section editors with special interest and personal achievements will make every effort to maintain a current and evidence-based journal and to limit speculative material. This journal will serve as an invaluable resource to readers. Beyond the primary objective of making Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports clinically relevant, we will also aim to break down artifi cial barriers among those who are called clinicians, radiologists, physiologists, biochemists, physicists, and pharmacologists in the study of the heart. Together, we look forward to fulfi lling our goals to the best of our ability by providing growth of ideas, advancement of knowledge, and excellent scientifi c contributions. This issue marks the start of an orderly procession of scholarly publications for many years to come.