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Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2019 Feb 12;17(1). Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Cardiology, Dong-A University Hospital, Daeshingongwon-Ro 26, Seo-gu, Busan, 49201, Republic of Korea.

Background: Aortic dilatation is a major risk factor for aortic dissection. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between left ventricular (LV) geometry and maximal ascending aorta (MAA).

Methods: We reviewed data from patients who were diagnosed with acute type A aortic dissection and who underwent surgical management from December 2002 to March 2016 at Dong-A University Hospital. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2019 Jan 23;17(1). Epub 2019 Jan 23.

University of Molise, Health Sciences Department-Campobasso, Campobasso, IT, Italy.

The Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD, or simply Fabry Disease, FD; MIM #301500) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder (Xq22.1) characterized by progressive renal failure, leading to morbidity through cardio- and cerebro-vascular involvement. Despite the classic phenotype, only cardiac involvement (cardiac variant of AFD; MIM 301500) is frequent in about 40% of male and 28% of female AFD patients, as reported by the Fabry Registry ( https://www. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Dec 13;16(1):32. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Echocardiography, Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266001, China.

Background And Objectives: This study aimed to assess the changes of RA function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) using velocity vector imaging (VVI) and to evaluate the application of VVI technology.

Methods: According to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), 71 patients with OSAS were divided into three groups: mild, moderate, and severe. A total of 30 cases of healthy subjects were enrolled as the control group. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Nov 30;16(1):31. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

MICU, St John's Medical College, Kormangala, Bangalore, 560034, India.

Background: Sepsis is characterized by life threatening organ dysfunction with dysregulated immune response. Cardiac dysfunction seen in sepsis is unique as it is reversible within 7-10 days. Initial study by Parker et al. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Nov 19;16(1):30. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Echocardiography, Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging; Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.

Background: In patients with left ventricular (LV) dysssynchrony, contraction that doesn't fall into ejection period (LVEj) results in a waste of energy due to inappropriate contraction timing, which was now widely treated by cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT). Myocardial Contraction Efficiency was defined as the ratio of Efficient Contraction Time (ECTR) and amplitude of efficient contraction (ECR) during LVEj against that in the entire cardiac cycle. This study prospectively investigated whether efficiency indexes could predict CRT outcome. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Oct 31;16(1):29. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Clinic of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Universiteto g. 3, LT-01513, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Background: 2D strain imaging of the left atrium (LA) is a new echocardiographic method which allows us to determine contractile, conduit and reservoir functions separately. This method is particularly useful when changes are subtle and not easily determined by traditional parameters, as it is in arterial hypertension and atrial fibrillation (AF).

The Aims Of Our Study Were: to determine LA contractile, conduit and reservoir function by 2D strain imaging in patients with mild arterial hypertension and paroxysmal AF; to assess LA contractile, conduit and reservoir functions' relation with LV diastolic dysfunction (DD) parameters. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Oct 29;16(1):28. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Department of Cardiac and Vascular Disease, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) is the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease and the population of ToF repair survivors is growing rapidly. Adults with repaired ToF develop late complications. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze long-term follow-up of patients with repaired ToF. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Oct 12;16(1):27. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Science, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padua, Italy.

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is a new therapeutic option for high surgical risk patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). Mitral valve (MV) geometry quantification is of paramount importance for success of the procedure and transthoracic 3D echocardiography represents a useful screening tool. Accordingly, we sought to asses MV geometry in patients with functional MR (FMR) that would potentially benefit of TMVR, focusing on the comparison of mitral annulus (MA) geometry between patients with ischemic (IMR) and non ischemic mitral regurgitation (nIMR). Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Oct 9;16(1):26. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti (HULA), Avenida doctor Ulises Romero n° 1, 27003, Lugo, Spain.

Background: Relationship between carotid and coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing invasive and non-invasive test is unclear. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether carotid disease is associated with CAD in patients submitted to exercise echocardiography (EE) and if it improves the EE ability to predict CAD.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 156 subjects without previous vascular disease who underwent EE, carotid ultrasonography and coronary angiography between 2002 and 2013. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Oct 2;16(1):23. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Department of cardiology, Nanlou Division, Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, 100853, China.

Background: Conventional echocardiography is not sensitive enough to assess left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. This research attempts to find a new ultrasonic technology to better assess LV diastolic function, systolic function, and myocardial longitudinal and circumferential systolic strain of segments with different thicknesses in HCM patients.

Methods: This study included 50 patients with HCM and 40 healthy subjects as controls. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Oct 2;16(1):22. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Council Research, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.

Background: The detection of regional wall motion abnormalities is the cornerstone of stress echocardiography. Today, stress echo shows increasing trends of utilization due to growing concerns for radiation risk, higher cost and stronger environmental impact of competing techniques. However, it has also limitations: underused ability to identify factors of clinical vulnerability outside coronary artery stenosis; operator-dependence; low positivity rate in contemporary populations; intermediate risk associated with a negative test; limited value of wall motion beyond coronary artery disease. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Oct 2;16(1):24. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Tyumen Cardiology Research Center, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Science, Tomsk, Russia, Melnikaite st. 111, Tyumen, 625026, Russia.

Background: Some patients with congestive heart failure have greater improvement of cardiac remodelling after cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) and they are identified as super-responders (SRs). It remains unclear if echocardiographic markers of dyssynchrony could accuratelly predict super-response to CRT. The aim of this study is to evaluate potential echocardiographic predictors associated with super-response to CRT. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 26;16(1):25. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Trakya University, 22030, Edirne, Turkey.

Background: Non-invasive imaging tests are widely used in the evaluation of stable angina pectoris (SAP). Despite these tests, non-significant coronary lesions are not a rare finding in patients undergoing elective coronary angiography (CAG). Two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking global longitudinal strain (GLS) imaging is a more sensitive and accurate technique for measuring LV function than conventional 2D methods. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 25;16(1):20. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

CNR, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Biomedicine Department, Pisa, Italy.

Background: The effectiveness trial "Stress echo (SE) 2020" evaluates novel applications of SE in and beyond coronary artery disease. The core protocol also includes 4-site simplified scan of B-lines by lung ultrasound, useful to assess pulmonary congestion.

Purpose: To provide web-based upstream quality control and harmonization of B-lines reading criteria. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 25;16(1):19. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Centrum Voor Hart-en Vaatziekten (CHVZ), Department of Cardiology, UZ Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide. Nowadays, AF ablation is a valuable treatment option. It has been shown that the left atrium (LA) diameter is a predictor of AF recurrence after cryoballoon ablation (CBA). Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 25;16(1):21. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Thomas' Hospital, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.

Background: Interactions between the left ventricular (LV) and the arterial system, (ventricular-arterial coupling) are key determinants of cardiovascular function. However, most of studies covered multiple cardiovascular risk factors, which also contributed to the morphological and functional changes of LV. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between arterial stiffness and LV structure and function in healthy women with a low burden of risk factors. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 18;16(1):17. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Heart Center, Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Advanced atrial fibrillation (AF) patients have persistent AF, failed previous catheter ablation and/or an enlarged left atrium (LA), which is associated with a reduced success of AF ablation. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) are available to assess LA volume. However, it is unknown how these modalities relate in patients with advanced AF. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 18;16(1):16. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Cardiodiagnosis Department Medical Research of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) results from the combined action of longitudinal and circumferential contraction, radial thickening, and basal and apical rotation. The study of these parameters together may lead to an accurate assessment of the cardiac function.

Methods: Ninety healthy volunteers, categorized by gender and age (≤ 55 and >  55 years), were evaluated using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 11;16(1):15. Epub 2018 Sep 11.

British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, UK.

Background: Transcranial Doppler ultrasound remains the only imaging modality that is capable of real-time measurements of blood flow velocity and microembolic signals in the cerebral circulation. We here assessed the repeatability and reproducibility of transcranial Doppler ultrasound in healthy volunteers and patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

Methods: Between March and August 2017, we recruited 20 healthy volunteers and 20 patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Sep 11;16(1):14. Epub 2018 Sep 11.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Rochester, USA.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the ideal timing for providers to perform point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) with the least increase in workload.

Methods: We conducted a pilot crossover study to compare 2 POCUS-assisted evaluation protocols for acutely ill patients: sequential (physical examination followed by POCUS) vs parallel (POCUS at the time of physical examination). Participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups according to which POCUS-assisted protocol (sequential vs parallel) was used during simulated scenarios. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Aug 21;16(1):13. Epub 2018 Aug 21.

Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000, Liaoning, China.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) can result in atrial functional mitral regurgitation (MR), but the mechanism remains controversial. Few data about the relationship between the 3-dimensional morphology of the MV and the degree of MR in AF exist.

Methods: Real-time 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) of the MV was acquired in 168 patients with AF (57. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Aug 7;16(1):11. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1# Shuai Fu Yuan, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.

Background: The tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is commonly recommended for estimating the right ventricular systolic function. The central venous pressure (CVP), which is determined by venous return and right heart function, was found to be associated with right ventricular outflow fractional shortening. This study thus aimed to investigate the relationship between the TAPSE and CVP in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Aug 1;16(1):18. Epub 2018 Aug 1.

Department of Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8, 20-950, Lublin, Poland.

Background: The study presents a prospective follow-up assessment of cardiovascular (CV) risk parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in comparison with control subjects.

Methods: The study group consisted of 41 RA patients. The following parameters were assessed at subsequent visits [initial (T0), follow-up after 6 years (T6)]: traditional CV risk factors, carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), QTc duration, serum concentration of amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Jul 16;16(1):12. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Department of Anesthesiology, Divisions of Critical Care Medicine and Trauma Anesthesiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Background: There are numerous studies in the cardiovascular literature that have employed transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in swine models, but data regarding the use of basic TEE in swine models is limited. The primary aim of this study is to describe an echocardiographic method that can be used with relative ease to qualitatively assess cardiovascular function in a porcine hemorrhagic shock model using resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA).

Methods: Multiplane basic TEE exams were performed in 15 during an experimental hemorrhage model using REBOA. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Jul 3;16(1):10. Epub 2018 Jul 3.

Institute of Pharmacology, Center for Cardiovascular Research, Charité -Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115, Berlin, Germany.

Background: The assessment of ventricular volumes using conventional echocardiography methods is limited with regards to the need of geometrical assumptions. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate a novel commercial system for three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) in preclinical models by direct comparison with conventional 1D- and 2D-echocardiography (1DE; 2DE) and the gold-standard technique magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Further, we provide a standard operating protocol for image acquisition and analysis with 3DE. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Jun 26;16(1). Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy.

Background: Patients who underwent a successful repair of the aortic coarctation (CoA) show high risk for cardiovascular (CV) events. Mechanical and structural abnormalities in the ascending aorta (Ao) might have a role in the prognosis of CoA patients. We analyzed the elastic properties of Ao measured as aortic stiffness index (AoSI) in CoA patients in the long-term period and we compared AoSI with a cohort of 38 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 38 non-RA matched controls. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Jun 12;16(1). Epub 2018 Jun 12.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Health Sciences - Adana Health Practices and Research Center, Adana, Turkey.

Background: Carotid intima media thickness (C-IMT) and aortic IMT (A-IMT) increase in adult and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), respectively. In both age groups IMT is used for early detection of macrovascular complications. In adult DM patients, A-IMT is still not a routine examination and is not used frequently. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Apr 26;16(1). Epub 2018 Apr 26.

Echocardiography Department of Heart Center, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 8 Gongren Tiyuchang Nanlu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100020, China.

Background: Little is known about the echocardiographic characteristics of primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma (PPM) due to its rarity. The aim of this study was to explore the sex-specific echocardiographic patterns of PPM and risk factors for in-hospital mortality.

Methods: A retrospective information retrieval was conducted for cases of PPM reported from China during 1981 and 2015. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Mar 27;16(1). Epub 2018 Mar 27.

Department of Cardiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Background: Stress echocardiography (SE) has recently regained momentum as an important diagnostic tool for the assessment of both ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease. Performing SE during physical exercise is challenging due to a suboptimal patient position and vigorous movements of the patient's chest. This hampers a stable ultrasound position and reduces the diagnostic performance of SE. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Mar 9;16(1). Epub 2018 Mar 9.

Division of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Republic of Korea.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) can occur even after the correction of mitral valve (MV) pathology in patients who have pre-operative sinus rhythm and undergo MV surgery. However, the factors associated with the occurrence of AF after MV surgery are still unclear. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the factors determining the occurrence of permanent AF after MV surgery in patients with preoperative sinus rhythm who underwent MV surgery. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Feb 20;16(1). Epub 2018 Feb 20.

Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, P.le Europa 1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.

Cardiac function is about creating and sustaining blood in motion. This is achieved through a proper sequence of myocardial deformation whose final goal is that of creating flow. Deformation imaging provided valuable contributions to understanding cardiac mechanics; more recently, several studies evidenced the existence of an intimate relationship between cardiac function and intra-ventricular fluid dynamics. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Feb 6;16(1). Epub 2018 Feb 6.

Department of Cardiology, Parma University Hospital, Via Gramsci 14, 43123, Parma, Italy.

Background: Imaging stress tests are not ideally accurate to predict anatomically obstructive CAD, leading to a non-trivial rate of unnecessary iCA. This may depend on the threshold used to indicate iCA, and maybe CTA or, one step earlier, CT calcium score could spare most unnecessary iCA in only mildly positive cSE. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of contrast stress-echocardiography (cSE) in comparison with invasive coronary angiography (iCA), and CT angiography (CTA) only in case of equivocal tests, to find hints helping reduce falsely positive cSE in the suspicion of coronary artery disease (CAD). Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Jan 23;16(1). Epub 2018 Jan 23.

Department of Ultrasound, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, 126 Xiantai Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, China.

Background: Study on automated three-dimensional (3D) quantification of left heart parameters by using Heartmodel software is still in the early stage and fully automatic analysis was not clearly achieved. The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of this new technology in measuring left ventricular (LV) volume and ejection fraction (EF) in patients with a variety of heart diseases on the basis of rationally determining the default endocardial border values.

Methods: Subjects with a variety of heart diseases were included prospectively. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Jan 9;16(1). Epub 2018 Jan 9.

Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany.

Background: Percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) is increasingly performed in patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR). Post-procedural MR grading is challenging and an unsettled issue. We hypothesised that the direct planimetry of vena contracta area (VCA) by 3D-transoesophageal echocardiography allows quantifying post-procedural MR and implies further prognostic relevance missed by the usual ordinal scale (grade I-IV). Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Dec 14;15(1):27. Epub 2017 Dec 14.

Department of Anesthesiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii Cho, Hirokoji Agaru, Kawaramachi Street, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, 602-8566, Japan.

Background: Staged palliative surgery markedly shifts the balance of volume load on a single ventricle and pulmonary vascular bed. Blalock-Taussig shunt necessitates a single ventricle eject blood to both the systemic and pulmonary circulation. On the contrary, bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt release the single ventricle from pulmonary circulation. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Nov 30;15(1):26. Epub 2017 Nov 30.

State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13202, USA.

Background: Integrated bedside and sophisticated cardiac imaging techniques help characterize the discrepancy between myocardial injury and mechanic dysfunction in acute myocardial infarction.

Case Presentation: A 57 year-old woman presented with sudden onset chest pain and ventricular fibrillation after hearing of her brother's death. The electrocardiography indicated "anterior wall ST segment elevation myocardial infarction". Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Oct 18;15(1):25. Epub 2017 Oct 18.

Department of Cardiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, P.O. Box 855500, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Background: Although mechanical dyssynchrony parameters derived by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) may predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), comparability of parameters derived with different STE vendors is unknown.

Methods: In the MARC study, echocardiographic images of heart failure patients obtained before CRT implantation were prospectively analysed with vendor specific STE software (GE EchoPac and Philips QLAB) and vendor-independent software (TomTec 2DCPA). Response was defined as change in left ventricular (LV) end-systolic volume between examination before and six-months after CRT implantation. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Sep 13;15(1):24. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

2nd Department of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk stratification is the most important preventive action in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The identification of the ischemia biomarker high sensitive troponin I (hs-TnI) role for this arrhythmic disease may provide additional information for SCD risk stratification. The aim of the study was to compare echocardiographic parameters (prognostic for risk stratification of SCD in HCM) among two subgroups of HCM patients: with elevated hs-TnI versus non-elevated hs-TnI level. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Sep 13;15(1):23. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Background: Lung ultrasound can be used as an alternative to chest radiography (CXR) for the diagnosis and follow-up of various lung diseases in the intensive care unit (ICU). Our aim was to evaluate the influence that introducing a routine daily use of lung ultrasound in critically ill patients may have on the number of CXRs and as a consequence, on medical costs and radiation exposure.

Methods: Data were collected by conducting a retrospective evaluation of the medical records of adult patients who needed thoracic imaging and were admitted to our academic polyvalent ICU. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Sep 12;15(1):22. Epub 2017 Sep 12.

Divisions of Cardiology, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.

Background: Strain analysis is feasible using three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography. This approach provides various parameters based on speckle tracking analysis from one full-volume image of the left ventricle; however, evidence for its volume independence is still lacking.

Methods: Fifty-eight subjects who were examined by transthoracic echocardiography immediately before and after hemodialysis (HD) were enrolled. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Sep 11;15(1):20. Epub 2017 Sep 11.

Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

Background: Long-term intensive training leads to morphological and mechanical changes in the heart generally known as "athlete's heart". Previous studies have suggested that the diastolic and systolic function of the ventricles is unaltered in athletes compared to sedentary. The purpose of this study was to investigate myocardial performance index (MPI) by pulsed wave Doppler (PWD) and by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in female elite athletes compared to sedentary controls. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Sep 11;15(1):21. Epub 2017 Sep 11.

Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College and John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.

Background: Second-stage palliation with hemi-Fontan or bidirectional Glenn procedures has improved the outcomes of patients treated for single-ventricle heart disease. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze risk factors for death after second-stage palliation of single-ventricle heart and to compare therapeutic results achieved with the hemi-Fontan and bidirectional Glenn procedures.

Material And Methods: We analyzed 60 patients who had undergone second-stage palliation for single-ventricle heart. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Jul 24;15(1):19. Epub 2017 Jul 24.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, 42 Jaebong-ro, Donggu, Gwangju, 501-757, South Korea.

Background: To investigate the impacts of carotid plaque and intima-media thickness (IMT) on future vascular events (VEs) in the patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: A total of 479 consecutive Korean patients with acute ischemic stroke were divided into 2 groups according to development of VEs; VE group (65.4 ± 10. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Jul 3;15(1):18. Epub 2017 Jul 3.

Fellow, Scripps Clinic Cardiology, 10666 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.

Background: Left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral (LVOT VTI) is a measure of cardiac systolic function and cardiac output. Heart failure patients with low cardiac output are known to have poor cardiovascular outcomes. Thus, extremely low LVOT VTI may predict heart failure patients at highest risk for mortality. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Jun 23;15(1):17. Epub 2017 Jun 23.

Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, China.

Background: Identification of prenatal ventriculoarterial connections in fetuses with conotruncal anomalies (CTA) remains one of the greatest challenges for sonographers performing screening examinations. Herein, we propose a novel protocol of 4D volume analysis that identifies ventriculoarterial connections and evaluate its clinical utility in routine screenings.

Methods: Twenty-nine cases of transposition of the great arteries (TGA), 22 cases of double-outlet right ventricle (DORV), 36 cases of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), 14 cases of truncus arteriosus (TCA), and randomly selected 70 normal fetuses were reviewed in this study. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Jun 19;15(1):16. Epub 2017 Jun 19.

Hypertension Research Center, Federico II University Hospital of Naples, Via Pansini 5, bld #1, 80131, Naples, Italy.

Background: The availability of ultra-miniaturized pocket ultrasound devices (PUD) adds diagnostic power to the clinical examination. Information on accuracy of ultrasound with handheld units in immediate differential diagnosis in emergency department (ED) is poor. The aim of this study is to test the usefulness and accuracy of lung ultrasound (LUS) alone or combined with ultrasound of the heart and inferior vena cava (IVC) using a PUD for the differential diagnosis of acute dyspnea (AD). Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Jun 17;15(1):15. Epub 2017 Jun 17.

Cardiologie et CIC-IT 1414, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, F-35000, Rennes, France.

Background: Almost all attempts to improve patient selection for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) using echo-derived indices have failed so far. We sought to assess: the performance of homemade software for the automatic quantification of integral 3D regional longitudinal strain curves exploring left ventricular (LV) mechanics and the potential value of this tool to predict CRT response.

Methods: Forty-eight heart failure patients in sinus rhythm, referred for CRT-implantation (mean age: 65 years; LV-ejection fraction: 26%; QRS-duration: 160 milliseconds) were prospectively explored. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Jun 12;15(1):14. Epub 2017 Jun 12.

Department of Ultrasound, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China.

Background: This study is aimed at investigating myocardial multi-directional systolic deformation in hypertensive with different left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and exploring its contribution to LVEF.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-three patients with primary hypertension (HT) were divided into group A (LVEF ≥ 55%), group B (45% ≤ LVEF < 50%, or 50% ≤ LVEF < 55% + LVEDVI ≥ 97 ml/m), and group C (LVEF < 45%). Two-dimensional strain echocardiography (2DSE) including LV longitudinal strain (SL), radial strain (SR) and circumferential strain (SC) were measured. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 May 18;15(1):13. Epub 2017 May 18.

Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Medical UltraSound Imaging Center (MUSIC), P.O. Box 9101 (766), 6500, HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Background: Compound strain imaging is a novel method to noninvasively evaluate arterial wall deformation which has recently shown to enable differentiation between fibrous and (fibro-)atheromatous plaques in patients with severe stenosis. We tested the hypothesis that compound strain imaging is feasible in non-stenotic arteries and provides incremental discriminative power to traditional measures of vascular health (i.e. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2017 Apr 26;15(1):12. Epub 2017 Apr 26.

Clinic of Cardiology, University Clinical Centre of Kosova, "Rrethi i Spitalit", p.n., Prishtina, Kosovo.

Background: Quality of life is as important as survival in heart failure (HF) patients. Controversies exist with regards to echocardiographic determinants of exercise capacity in HF, particularly in patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The aim of this study was to prospectively examine echocardiographic parameters that correlate and predict functional exercise capacity assessed by 6 min walk test (6-MWT) in patients with HFpEF. Read More