ACCEPTED DOCUMENT TYPES

Original Article: The journal ABC Imagem Cardiovascular accepts all types of original cardiovascular research, including research in humans and experimental research. Clinical trials should follow specific recommendations (see item Types of Study). Note: Meta-analyses will be published as original articles.

Review Article: It is composed of critical and ordered evaluations of the literature on topics of clinical importance. The articles “What do cardiologists expect?” and “My approach to” are considered reviews.

• Review Article: experts in subjects of relevant interest to readers are generally invited to write these reviews. ABC Imagem Cardiovascular also accepts review articles submitted spontaneously by the scientific community. Note: Systematic reviews will be published as review articles. 
• Article “What do cardiologists expect?”: review article requested by invitation sent by the Editorial Board to the clinical cardiologist with unequivocal expertise in a given cardiovascular topic, in which cardiovascular imaging plays an important role. The objective is to bring the perspective of the professional who requests and makes use of the information of the imaging exam in the approach of a specific theme. The text should be prepared in a succinct, practical and updated way, valuing the author’s expertise in the area, based on the most relevant scientific evidence available.
• Article “My approach to”: prepared by echocardiographers and physicians from other areas of cardiovascular imaging (tomography, resonance, vascular, nuclear medicine) invited by the Editorial Board. The text should seek a succinct, practical and up-to-date approach to the use of echocardiography and/or cardiovascular imaging methods in the evaluation of a specific cardiovascular theme, valuing the author’s expertise in the area, based on the most relevant scientific evidence available.

Viewpoint: It presents the authors’ stance or opinion on a specific scientific theme. This stance or opinion must be sufficiently corroborated by the literature or their personal experience. These aspects will be the basis of the opinion being issued.

Case Report: Any cases including original descriptions of clinical observations or representing the originality of a given diagnosis or treatment or illustrating situations that do not occur very often in the clinical practice, which deserve a deeper understanding and more attention from cardiologists.

Cardiovascular Imaging: Images that illustrate classical concepts or demonstrate new findings, providing information about the mechanisms responsible for cardiovascular disease, emphasizing an abnormality, or highlighting a potential new role for noninvasive imaging are considered for publication. Figures in this category can be submitted as panels, with images separated with letters, if necessary. They should be unusual or refer to technological innovations in cardiovascular medicine, including echocardiography, vascular ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or nuclear medicine, and may be associated with angiography. Moving image clips (videos) are considered supplementary materials and can be uploaded in MPG files preferably (videos in AVI format are not accepted).

Brief Communication: Original experiences whose relevance to the knowledge of a subject justifies the presentation of initial data of small series, or partial data of clinical trials.

Research Letter: These are concise reports focused on original study, clinical case or opinion. The letters must not duplicate other material published or sent for publication.

Editorial: Subjects or manuscripts critically addressed by a subject-matter specialist. All ABC Imagem Cardiovascular editorials are published upon invitation. We will not accept editorials submitted spontaneously.

Short Editorial: Also published upon invitation, it includes comments on original articles published in ABC Imagem Cardiovascular with scientific content and opinion from subject-matter specialists.

Letter to the Editor: Correspondence of scientific content related to manuscripts published in ABC Imagem Cardiovascular. The authors of the original manuscript will be invited to respond.

Special Article: Articles not classifiable in the categories previously described, but considered relevant, in the specialty, by the Editorial Board.

Preprints: ABC Imagem Cardiovascular accepts manuscripts previously published on preprint platforms. At the time of submission, authors must inform the journal about the preprint server and provide the publication link. If an author whose manuscript is under peer review at ABC Imagem Cardiovascular wishes to deposit it in a preprint server, they must notify the journal via email at: abcimaging@cardiol.br. Please read the journal’s Editorial Policy carefully.

 

Language

ABC Imagem Cardiovascular is a bilingual publication. The manuscripts can be submitted either in Portuguese and/or English. 

 

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTION

 

The journal adopts the authorship contribution taxonomy based on the guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). The first author or corresponding author must declare the contributions of all co-authors according to the types of participation listed below:

1) Conception and design of the research.

2) Data acquisition.

3) Data analysis and interpretation.

4) Statistical analysis.

5) Funding acquisition.

6) Manuscript writing.

7) Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.

This declaration must be completed together with the Mandatory Publication Form and will be published at the end of the article.

 

ARTICLE SUBMISSION FORMAT

 

Original Article

 

The Main Document must contain the following items:

1- Title Page

It should include:

• Full title of the work (up to 150 characters, including spaces), concise and descriptive, in Portuguese.
• Full title in English (up to 150 characters, including spaces).
• Short title (up to 50 characters, including spaces) to be used in the header of the other pages of the article.
• Three to five descriptors (keywords), along with their translations into English keywords (descriptors). Keywords should be checked on the following websites: http://decs.bvs.br/ (which contains terms in Portuguese, Spanish, and English) or nlm.nih.gov/mesh (for terms in English only).
• Manuscript word count.

2- Abstract

• Abstract of up to 250 words.
• Structured into five sections:
  • Background (rationale for the study);
  • Objectives;
  • Methods (brief description of the methodology employed);
  • Results (only the main and most significant);
  • Conclusions (succinct sentence(s) with interpretation of the data).
• It is requested not to cite references in the abstract.
• It is requested to include absolute numbers of the results together with their statistical significance proven through the p-value, percentage, and other analysis methods. Data without duly proven statistical significance will not be accepted (e.g., “the measurement increased, decreased,” etc.).

3- Body of the Article

It should be divided into five sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions.

• Introduction:
  • We suggest not exceeding 350 words.
  • Provide a description of the background and rationale of the study, justifying it based on the literature and highlighting the scientific gap that led you to conduct the investigation and why.
  • In the last paragraph, emphasize the primary and secondary objectives of the study, based on the scientific gap to be investigated.
• Methods:
  • Describe in detail how the subjects of the observational or experimental research were selected (patients or experimental animals, including the control group, if applicable), including age and sex.
  • The definition of race should be used when possible and must be clear and relevant to the topic explored.
  • Identify the equipment and reagents used (including manufacturer name, model, and country of manufacture, when appropriate) and provide details of the procedures and techniques used so that other researchers can reproduce your data.
  • Describe the methods employed in detail, explaining their purposes as well as their capabilities and limitations.
  • Describe all drugs and medications used, including doses and routes of administration.
  • Describe the protocol used (interventions, outcomes, allocation methods, masking, and statistical analysis).
  • For studies involving human subjects, indicate whether the work was approved by an Ethics Committee, whether patients signed informed consent forms, and if the study complies with Resolution 466/2012.
  • Describe the statistical methods used to obtain the results and justify their use.
• Results::
  • Should be clearly presented, subdivided into items where possible, and supported by a moderate number of graphs, tables, charts, and figures. Avoid redundancy when presenting data, such as repeating information both in the text and in tables.
  • It is extremely important that statistical significance is duly demonstrated.
• Discussion: Should relate directly to the proposed topic when analyzed in light of the literature, highlighting new and important aspects of the study, its implications, and limitations. Comparison with previously published articles in the same research field is important, emphasizing the novelties brought by the current study’s results and their clinical or translational implications. The last paragraph should express conclusions or, if pertinent, recommendations and clinical implications.
• Conclusions: Should directly address the objectives proposed in the study and be strictly based on the data. Conclusions that lack definitive support from the results presented in the article may lead to the article’s outright rejection during peer review. Short and objective sentences should condense the main findings of the article based on the results.
• Please refer to the information about original clinical research articles/clinical trials.

4- Figures and Tables

• The recommended number of tables and figures for this type of article should be checked in the summary table below.
• Guidelines and further technical details such as format, resolution, and size should be consulted in the Digital Assets.

5- References

• ABC Imagem Cardiovascular follows the Vancouver Style – Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (icmje.org).
• Formatting guidelines and examples can be found in the Digital Assets section.

 

Title Page Must Contain:

1- Article and Authorship Information

• Type of manuscript. Example: Original Article.
• Full title of the manuscript, in Portuguese and English.
• Short title.
• Full names of the authors with complete affiliations.
• ORCID iDs of the authors.

2- Acknowledgments

• This section may include acknowledgments for all sources of support for the research project, as well as individual contributions.
• Each person mentioned in the acknowledgments section must provide a letter authorizing the inclusion of their name, as this may imply endorsement of the data and conclusions.
• Written consent is not required from team members or external collaborators, provided that each person’s role is clearly described in the acknowledgments.

 

Review Article, Viewpoint, Case Report, Cardiovascular Image, Brief Communication, Scientific Letter, Editorial, Mini-Editorial, Letter to the Editor, Special Article

 

The Main Document must contain the following items:

1- Title Page

Must include:

• Full title of the work (up to 150 characters, including spaces), written concisely and descriptively in Portuguese.
• Full title in English (up to 150 characters, including spaces).
• Short title (up to 50 characters, including spaces) to be used in the header of the subsequent pages of the article.
• Three to five descriptors (keywords), along with their translations. Keywords must be selected from the following websites: http://decs.bvs.br/ (for terms in Portuguese, Spanish, and English) or nlm.nih.gov/mesh (for English terms only).
• Word count of the manuscript.

2- Abstract: For Review Articles and Brief Communications, include an unstructured abstract with a limit of 250 words.

3- Main Body of the Article: There is no specific structure required. Authors must respect the word count limit.

4- Figures and Tables

• The number of tables and figures allowed for this type of article should be checked in the summary table provided below.
• Technical instructions such as format, resolution, and size should be consulted in the Digital Assets section.

5- References

• ABC Imagem Cardiovascular follows the Vancouver style – Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (icmje.org).
• Formatting guidelines and examples should be consulted in the Digital Assets section.

 

When preparing the Main Document, it is essential to ensure that the authors’ identities remain anonymous. Information related to authorship should appear only on the Title Page, as outlined below.

 

The Title Page must include:

1- Information about the article and authorship

• Type of manuscript (e.g., Original Article)
• Full title of the work, in Portuguese and English
• Short title
• Keywords
• Full names of the authors with complete affiliations
• Authors’ ORCID iDs

2- Acknowledgments

• In this section, it is possible to acknowledge all sources of support for the research project, as well as individual contributions.
• Each person mentioned in the Acknowledgments section must provide a letter authorizing the inclusion of their name, as it may imply endorsement of the data and conclusions.
• Written consent is not required from members of the research team or external collaborators, as long as each individual’s role is clearly described in the acknowledgments.

 

SUMMARY TABLE OF THE STRUCTURING OF ARTICLES

Click here to see the Summary Table

 

DIGITAL ASSETS

 

Tables, figures, and videos must be included within the Main Document. In the case of figures and videos, they must also be uploaded as separate files in the appropriate area of the submission system, in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format. Minimum acceptable resolution: 1,200 dpi for simple black-and-white graphics, 300 dpi for black-and-white photographs, and 600 dpi for color photographs.

The number of tables and figures allowed for each article type can be found in the summary table above.

Tables should be numbered in the order they appear and used only when necessary to aid understanding of the work. Tables should not repeat data already presented in the text. Use the following order for footnote symbols: *, †, ‡, §, //, ¶, #, **, ††, etc. Tables must be edited in Word or a similar program. Authors are encouraged to follow the table and figure formatting standards recommended by ABNT. According to these guidelines, tables should have an open layout, be identified by number and title placed above the table, and the source (even if it is the authors themselves) listed below.

Figures must be submitted with adequate resolution to allow proper review. According to ABNT standards, illustrations must include a designative word (figure or video), a number according to the order of appearance in the text, and a title placed above the image. The source must be cited below. Any abbreviations used in illustrations must be explained in the figure captions.

Approved articles containing videos (e.g., echocardiograms or cineangiography films) must submit them through the submission system in MP4 format.

All abbreviations used in tables and figures must be listed in alphabetical order in the respective footnotes, accompanied by their full forms.

 

Central Illustration

For original and review articles, submission of a Central Illustration is mandatory. Below are some guidelines that may assist in the preparation of the image:

Purpose of the Central Illustration:

• Summarize the main message of the scientific article.
• Encourage visualization and promote interdisciplinary research.
• Help readers quickly identify the article’s relevance to their interests.
• Attract the reader’s attention and spark curiosity.
• Not to replace the written article or abstract, but to introduce and briefly summarize the topic.

Ideal Characteristics:

• Self-explanatory: It should be quickly understood by the reader.
• Concise and Direct: Use the minimum number of words and powerful graphics.

Creation Process:

• Conceptualize: Define the main message and target audience.
• Sketch: Create an initial hand-drawn draft.
• Design: Use graphic design software to assist in production.

Tips for Creating a Graphical Abstract:

• Focus on Uniqueness and Clarity:
  • Clear beginning and end.
  • Visual indication of the biological context.
  • Distinguish figures or model diagrams from the article.
  • Emphasize new findings and avoid excessive details.
  • Do not include too much data; content should be graphic and visual.

• Focus on Uniqueness and Clarity:
  • Use simple labels and minimal text.
  • Highlight one clear process or point.
  • Avoid distracting and cluttered elements.

• Sketch First:
  • Make hand-drawn sketches to organize ideas.
  • Prefer illustrations and visual icons.
  • Visually arrange elements and avoid overcrowding.

• Design Software:
  • Use tools like PowerPoint if professional software is unavailable.
  • Tools such as Canva and Mind the Graph can help produce the figure.

• Characteristics of an Effective Abstract:
  • Characteristics of an Effective Abstract:ufficient: Define abbreviations and acronyms.
  • Concise and to the Point: Informative and succinct.
  • Non-evaluative: Avoid personal comments.
  • Coherent and Easy to Read: Clear, legible, and accessible.

 

Example of a Central Illustration Published in the Journal:

Access to the article: https://www.abcimaging.org/article/the-women-of-the-cardiovascular-imaging-department-of-the-brazilian-society-of-cardiology-career-and-family-challenges/

 

CITATIONS AND REFERENCES

 

ABC Imagem Cardiovascular adopts the Vancouver Style – Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (www.icmje.org).

References must be cited numerically, in the order they appear in the text, and presented as superscripts. If more than two references are cited consecutively, only the first and last should be typed, separated by a dash (ex. ^5-8). In the case of non-consecutive citations, all references should be listed, separated by commas (e.g., 12,19,23). Abbreviations must be defined upon their first appearance in the text.

The reference list should be left-aligned.

Personal communications and unpublished data should not be included in the reference list, but only mentioned in the text and in a footnote on the page where cited.

In the reference list, all authors must be cited if there are six or fewer; if there are more than six authors, list the first six followed by “et al.” Journal abbreviations should comply with Index Medicus/Medline standards – as per the publication List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus or the website http://locatorplus.gov/.

Only citations from indexed journals will be accepted. Cited books must have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). Abstracts presented at congresses will only be accepted up to two years after the event and must include the phrase “conference abstract” or “abstract” in the reference.

ABC Imagem Cardiovascular encourages including the DOI in references, as it provides a permanent link to the electronic article. For articles or texts published online without a DOI, include the full URL and the date the site was accessed.

When a manuscript has been published in a preprint repository and later published as a peer-reviewed article, the official peer-reviewed publication should be cited. Preprints that are critical for the manuscript development or cover important advances but are not yet formally published may be cited.

The total number of references allowed for each article type can be consulted in the summary table above.

 

Supplementary Documents

 In addition to the Main Document and Title Page, authors must submit the Mandatory Publication Form and a Cover Letter. Submission of supplementary material is optional, as detailed below.

 

Mandatory Publication Form

In the Mandatory Publication Form, the corresponding author, or the first author, must declare information regarding:

• Copyright Confirmation;
• Potential Conflict of Interest;
• Ethics Committee Approval (Not applicable to articles whose research does not involve humans, animals, or sensitive data);
• Use of Artificial Intelligence;
• Compliance with Open Science;
• Authors’ Contributions (Not applicable for Editorials, Letters to the Editor, Scientific Letters, and Mini-editorials).

 

What must be declared in each field:

COPYRIGHTS: The corresponding author must declare that the article is original, does not infringe copyrights or any other proprietary rights of third parties, and has not been submitted for publication to any other journal. All manuscripts published by the journal remain the permanent property of the authors, with the journal holding the right of first publication and the right to display, store, copy, and reuse the content.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Potential conflicts of interest include any relationship an author has, directly or indirectly, through the institution promoting the research, with companies that could potentially benefit from the study’s results.

For this reason, all authors must declare any relationships with industry or other relevant entities—whether financial or otherwise—that may represent a conflict of interest related to the submitted article within the last two years. All relevant industry relationships, academic affiliations, and funding sources for the work must be declared in the form, as well as all institutional affiliations of the authors (including corporate commitments). This includes societies in general, such as consulting, stock ownership, other equity interests, or patent licensing agreements.

The following types of relationships are considered potentially conflicting and must be declared if, in the last two years, any author:

• Has received consultancy fees, honoraria for lectures, writing, or any other paid services from the product manufacturer.
• Has received support from the product manufacturer (research funds, provision of equipment, drugs, manpower) related to the study under review or another project involving the same product.
• Has received support from the product manufacturer to attend congresses.
• Has held shares in the product manufacturer.
• Had the product manufacturer involved in data collection, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript drafting.
• Is employed by a company that may directly or indirectly benefit from the study’s results.

ETHICS COMMITTEE: For studies involving human subjects or animals, the corresponding author must declare the name of the Research Ethics Committee, approval number, and date in the form, and upload the Ethics Committee approval document whenever possible.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: The corresponding author must declare any use of generative AI in the scientific writing at the time of submission. See the item “Use of Artificial Intelligence” and refer to the journal’s Ethics Policy.

OPEN SCIENCE COMPLIANCE: The corresponding author must report on the manuscript’s compliance with Open Science communication practices. Authors are asked to specify: (a) whether the manuscript is a preprint and, if so, its location; and (b) whether data, program codes, and other materials underlying the manuscript are properly cited and referenced.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS: The corresponding author must declare the contribution of all co-authors according to the types of participation below:

• Conception and design of the research.
• Data acquisition.
• Data analysis and interpretation.
• Statistical analysis.
• Funding acquisition.
• Manuscript drafting.
• Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.

This form must be completed and submitted at the time of submission. These declarations will be published at the end of the article.

 

Cover Letter

The Cover Letter must be included in the specific field of the submission system and can also be sent separately. In the letter, the author should explain the reasons why ABC Imagem Cardiovascular was chosen for submission, highlighting the scientific contributions of the manuscript to the addressed topic.

 

Supplementary Material

The journal accepts the submission of supplementary materials relevant to the understanding of the article. Supplementary material must be submitted together with the manuscript, clearly identified (e.g., Table S1, Figure S1, Video S1) and cited in the main text.

All supplementary materials will undergo peer review. After publication, the supplementary files will be available only in the online version of the article, under the same license as the main manuscript. Authors are responsible for the content, ensuring ethical and technical compliance.

 

FINANCING STATEMENT

 

In the Mandatory Publication Form, under the item Potential Conflict of Interest, the corresponding author or the first author must inform the sources of funding for the research: research funding agencies, non-profit organizations and institutions, personal funding, private sponsorship, etc.

It is necessary to disclose all sponsors involved in the work, including institutions, organizations, or individuals who have provided financial or other support. When applicable, contract numbers or other specific references related to the funding received should be provided. Additionally, the role of each funding source in the development of the study must be clearly described, which may include contributions to the project design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing, or the decision to submit the article for publication.

 

SUBMISSION

 

Access and Submission

To submit your article, access https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/abcimaging and register as an author. If you already have a reviewer login, use the same access. It is extremely important to link your ORCiD number (Open Researcher and Contributor ID). ORCiD is a unique, free, and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes one academic/researcher from another and solves the problem of ambiguity and similarity of author and individual names by replacing name variations with a single numeric code. To register your ORCiD ID, visit: https://orcid.org/register.

Please carefully read the previous sections: Article Submission Format, Digital Assets, Citations and References, and Supplementary Material for preparing the files to be submitted.

Follow the steps below to submit your article:

 

Click here and follow the steps for submission

 

Guidelines for Reporting Health Research

To ensure transparency, methodological quality, and reproducibility of published studies, ABC Imagem Cardiovascular adopts international recommendations for reporting health research. Authors must follow specific guidelines according to the type of study submitted.

Examples of some recognized guidelines include:

• CONSORT for randomized clinical trials.
• STROBE for observational studies (cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional).
• PRISMA for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
• STARD for diagnostic accuracy studies.
• SQUIRE for quality improvement reports.
• ARRIVE for animal model studies.
• CARE for case reports.
• MOOSE for observational epidemiological studies.
• CHEERS for economic evaluations.

The complete list of recommended guidelines is available on the EQUATOR Network portal. Compliance with these standards is part of the editorial process and may be requested by the editorial team or reviewers during manuscript evaluation.

 

Statistical Guidelines

The appropriate use of statistical methods, as well as their clear and detailed description, is essential for publication in the ABC Imagem Cardiovascular. Below, we provide general guidance to authors regarding the information that should be included in the manuscript concerning statistical analysis.

1- Sample

The population of interest and the procedures adopted for defining the study sample should be described in detail, including inclusion and exclusion criteria, when applicable. In the absence of formal selection criteria, it should be explicitly stated that the sample was defined by convenience (non-probabilistic sampling).

2- Methods – Statistical Analysis

Within the Methods section, a specific subsection dedicated to the description of the statistical analysis should be included, covering the following aspects:

• Presentation of variables:

Continuous variables with normal distribution should be presented as mean and standard deviation. Variables with non-normal distribution should be expressed as median and interquartile ranges. The assessment of distribution normality should be described, including the statistical test used. Categorical variables should be described as absolute numbers and percentages, accompanied by their respective confidence intervals.

• Statistical methods:

The statistical tests used should be clearly described, as well as their appropriateness for the variable types and data distribution. For more complex methods, citation of appropriate references is recommended. When applicable, the criteria for including variables in multivariate models should be described.

• Type of test:

Statistical tests should preferably be two-tailed (two-sided).

• Significance level:

The significance level adopted in the study should be explicitly stated.

• Multiple comparisons:

When multiple comparisons are performed, the application of appropriate adjustment methods should be considered.

• Missing data:

The handling of missing data, when present, should be described.

• Statistical software:

The software used for the analyses, including the version, should be reported.

3- Presentation of Results

When presenting the results derived from statistical analyses, the following is recommended:

• Report the main findings together with their respective confidence intervals and, whenever possible, measures of effect size;
• Avoid repeating in the text data already presented in tables and figures;
• Prioritize the use of graphical representations instead of excessively long tables whenever possible;
• Present p-values exactly, even when non-significant (e.g., p = 0.29), avoiding expressions such as “NS.”

4- Use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools in conducting statistical analyses must be explicitly declared in the manuscript. When applicable, authors should clearly and objectively describe the type of tool used, its purpose in the analytical process, and its level of involvement in the analysis workflow, including any limitations.

The submission must include an adequate description of the methods employed, technical justification for the use of AI compared with traditional statistical approaches, and information regarding the software, algorithms, and parameters used.

It is recommended that results be presented in a reproducible manner, with data, codes, or sufficient procedural descriptions made available to allow verification by third parties, when necessary.

The use of AI tools does not replace the authors’ responsibility for methodological integrity, the accuracy of results, and the scientific interpretation of findings, which remain entirely with the authors.

 

Exclusive Submission

Manuscripts will be considered for review only if they are not under consideration by other publications and provided that the data presented have not been previously published (including symposia, presentation materials, proceedings, books, invited articles, and preliminary publications of any kind, except abstracts of up to 500 words). As previously stated, the journal accepts articles made available on preprint platforms, and copyright remains exclusively with the authors, with the journal holding exclusive rights for first publication. All published articles are licensed under the CC-BY license.

 

Peer Review

ABC Imagem Cardiovascular employs a double-blind peer review system, meaning that the reviewers will not have access to the identity of the author(s), and the author(s) will not have access to the identity of the reviewer(s). Upon initial submission, the manuscript is reviewed by the editorial team for compliance with the journal’s style and to ensure the article is clear and readable for reviewers and editors. After this preliminary check, the manuscript is forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief, who then assigns it to an Associate Editor. The Associate Editor determines whether the manuscript should be sent for peer review or if it does not align with the priorities of ABC Imagem Cardiovascular. All reviewers and editors are asked to disclose any potential conflicts of interest; if any are identified, the manuscript is reassigned to a different editor or reviewer. Manuscripts are subjected to statistical review whenever necessary. After at least two peer reviews are completed, the manuscript is reviewed by the Associate Editor and the Editor-in-Chief, who will decide among one of six possible outcomes. Reviewers have 15 days to evaluate the manuscript.

• Accept: The article is accepted for publication in its current form. However, minor changes may be made by medical editors, illustrators, or the editorial team, in which case the authors will need to coordinate with the appropriate contacts to ensure these changes are incorporated after acceptance.
• Minor Revision: It should be emphasized that this decision does not guarantee acceptance. However, this decision indicates that less significant changes are needed compared to major revision cases. Authors have 15 days to make the requested changes.
• Major Revision: In this case, more substantial changes are required. Authors have 30 days to make the requested changes. It should be emphasized that this decision does not guarantee acceptance.
• Reject and Resubmit: The article is unacceptable for publication in its current form. However, editors are willing to reconsider a thoroughly revised manuscript. Authors must respond to all reviewer and editor comments, and the manuscript will be re-evaluated and treated as a new submission.
• Reject: The article is unacceptable for publication and/or does not fit the scope of ABC Imagem Cardiovascular.

If the article is accepted, the journal will include the name of the editor responsible for its evaluation.

The responsibility for the content of the journal and the articles lies with the authors and editors, according to the agreements established between the parties.

 

Approval

Acceptance will be based on originality, significance, and scientific contribution to the field.

The final formatted versions (Portuguese and English) will be sent to the author, who must return them within 5 days with minimal orthographic corrections. If the author does not respond within 5 days, these versions will be considered final for publication.

 

Publication

After author approval, the versions are sent for indexing, during which the DOI is generated along with XML versions for indexing in major databases. The article will be assigned to a volume and issue and made available electronically on the journal’s website (in PDF and HTML formats).

All published articles must have a DOI number.

 

PLAGIARISM

 

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is not accepted in ABC Imagem Cardiovascular. It compromises the true meaning of Science. Plagiarism is defined when an author attempts to use someone else work as his or her own. Another form of plagiarism is self-plagiarism, ou duplication: it occurs when an author reuses significant parts of his or her own published work without appropriate references. Plagiarism is a scientific misconduct and will be addressed as such. When plagiarism is detected at any time before publication, the editorial office will take appropriate action as directed by the standards set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). For additional information, please visit http://www.publicationethics.org.

ABC Imagem Cardiovascular uses the iThenticate software to verifiy the originality of content submitted before publication. iThenticate checks submissions against millions of published research papers, and billions of web content. Authors, researchers and freelancers can also use iThenticate to screen their work before submission by visiting http://www.ithenticate.com.

 

Plagiarism Detection Before Publication

ABC Imagem Cardiovascular editors will evaluate any case of plagiarism on its limits. If plagiarism is detected before publishing then we will inform the author(s) and will ask them to rewrite the content or use appropriate references from where the content has been taken. If more than 25% of the paper is plagiarized, then the article will be rejected and authors notified.

 

How Are Plagiarism Cases Checked?

All the submitted manuscripts for publication are checked for plagiarism with online tools after submission and before starting review.

 

How Are Plagiarism Cases Handled?

The manuscripts in which the plagiarism is detected are handled based on the extent of the plagiarism.

10-25% Plagiarism: The manuscript is sent back to the author for content revision without entering the review process.

> 25% Plagiarism: The manuscript will be rejected without the entering the review process. The authors are advised to revise the manuscript and resubmit the manuscript.

 

Plagiarism Detection After Publication

If a case of plagiarism is detected after ABC Imagem Cardiovascular had published the article we will contact the author’s institute and funding agencies.

A determination of misconduct will lead the ABC Imagem Cardiovascular to publish a statement, linked online to and from the original paper, to note the plagiarism and to provide a reference to the plagiarised material. In severe cases (> 50% of plagiarism) the paper will be formally retracted.