Condensed table of contents

EDITORIAL 472

Selective reduction of the septolateral dimensions in functional mitral regurgitation by modified-shape ring annuloplasty

40A Copyright Transmittal Form 285

Change of Address

GTS

F. Maisano, Z. Ziskind, A. Grimaldi, A. Blasio, A. Caldarola, M. De Bonis, G. La Canna, and O. Alfieri

475

Letters to the Editor

478

Events of Interest

480

Announcements

Full-text online access to The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery is now available for all print subscribers. See page 313 for details. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery online is sponsored by St. Jude Medical.

ACD

Online component

28A Reader Services

CHD CSP TX

Cover Photograph

HP

The muscle fiber architecture in the ventricular walls of the heart is of both physiologic and surgical interest and has intrigued man for centuries. In the era of surgical ventricular restoration, a detailed description of myocyte orientation in 3 dimensions (3D) is warranted to further refine surgical techniques. Using 3D magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, we have studied ex vivo myocyte orientation throughout the left ventricular (LV) walls in sheep with normal hearts, hearts with an anteroapical LV aneurysm, and hearts in which the aneurysm has been repaired surgically.1 White patches in the cover photograph show where transmural distributions of myo-

6A

cyte orientation were sampled in normal (A), infarcted (B), and surgically repaired (C) LVs. Gray slices are serial magnetic resonance imaging slices and indicate the location of the right ventricle. Wall thickness is color coded in millimeters. Julius Matteo Guccione, PhD

Reference 1. Walker JC, Guccione JM, Jiang Y, Zhang P, Wallace AW, Hsu EW, et al. Helical myofiber orientation after myocardial infarction and left ventricular surgical restoration in sheep. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2005;129:382-90.

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery ● February 2005