Venous disease, particularly venous thromboembolism, is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. If the disease remains undetected, long-term morbidity can be significant. Up to 40% of patients with symptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) develop post-thrombotic syndrome within 2 years. Furthermore, approximately 5% of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) secondary to venous thrombotic disease develop chronic pulmonary hypertension with decreased cardiopulmonary capacity. Ultrasound is the first line modality for the detection of DVT. CT and MR venography may play a complimentary role to ultrasound, especially for iliofemoral or subclavian DVT.

A variety of minimally invasive image-guided interventions can be performed for treatment of venous thromboembolism. Catheter-directed thrombolysis with or without mechanical thrombectomy in acute DVT can clear thrombus from the veins. Those patients who develop post thrombotic syndrome as a sequela of DVT with iliac vein occlusion may benefit from venous stenting. Superficial venous reflux in the setting of post thrombotic syndrome can also be treated with image guided radiofrequency or laser ablation techniques. Treatment options for chronic lower extremity venous insufficiency include endovascular radiofrequency or laser ablation techniques as well as sclerotherapy based approaches. In massive and submassive acute PE, mechanical clot maceration and ultrasound-assisted catheter directed thrombolysis may improve outcome and are associated with low rates of major bleeding events.

This focused issue will encompass recent advancements in venous imaging and image-guided interventions. Topics will include:

● Clinical Aspects of Venous Thromboembolism, Namely Deep Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism
● Clinical Aspects of Lower Extremity Venous Insufficiency
● CT Venography
● Contrast and Non-contrast MR Venography
● Catheter Directed Thrombolysis of Deep Venous Thrombosis
● Inferior Vena Cava Filters
● Ultrasound Assisted Catheter Directed Thrombolysis in Pulmonary Embolism
● Venous Stenting
● Endovascular Radiofrequency or Laser Ablation for Lower Extremity Venous Insufficiency
● Image Guided Sclerotherapy Based Lower Extremity Venous Insufficiency
● Venous Compression Syndrome

We encourage you to contribute original research manuscripts, meta-analysis and systematic analysis to the focused issue. The final submission deadline is July 1st 2016. To avoid overlap of topics, please first send the tentative title of your manuscript to the Guest Editors or Editor-in-Chief (editor@thecdt.org). Please note that:
1) All submitted manuscripts will go through a thorough peer review process and acceptance to this Focused Issue is not guaranteed;
2) No publication fee is needed for these invited papers.

We are a looking forward to the submissions for the Focused Issue of Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy entitled “Advanced venous imaging and image-guided venous interventions”.

Focused Issue Editors

Suvranu (Shoey) Ganguli, MD
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

Sasan Partovi, MD
Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Editor-in-Chief

Paul Schoenhagen, MD
Cardiovascular Imaging, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio