ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate left ventricular function in patients with hypertensive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HHC)using real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography(RT-3DE).Methods Thirty patients with HHC and 32 control subjects were studied.Full-volume RT-3DE data from apical window were acquired,and regional volumetric time curves of 17 segments were obtained by fast 3-dimensional border detection software.Several left ventricular function parameters were calculated semiautomatically,including global left ventricular end-diastolic volume(EDV),end-systolic volume(ESV),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),the ratio of ESV/EDV of 17 segments,the standard deviation(SD)and difference(Dif)(adjusted by the R-R interval) of time to minimum systolic volume(Tmsv)in 16 segments(Tmsv16-SD and Tmsv16-Dif).Results EDV and ESV were significantly larger in patients with HHC than that in control subjects[(88±29)ml vs (72±15) ml,t=-2.680,P=0.008;(28±10)ml vs (22±6 )ml,t=-2.613,P=0.01].HHC had a higher ratio of ESV/EDV at interventricular septum(IVS)compared with control group[mid-segments of anterior IVS:(40.51±20.28)% vs (26.43±10.10)%,t=-3.378,P=0.002;mid-segments of posterior IVS:(41.44±23.55)% vs (24.46±8.12)%,t=-3.688,P=0.001;apical segments of IVS:(30.96±21.31)% vs (19.53±7.33)%,t=-2.745,P=0.01].In patients with HHC,Tmsv16-SD and Tmsv16-Dif were significantly longer[(2.48±1.38)% vs (1.16±0.26)%,t=-5.117,P＜0.001;(7.67±5.07)% vs (3.95±1.48)%,t=-3.865,P＜0.001].And the prevalence of left ventricular dyssynchrony was higher than that in control subjects(43% vs 3%).Conclusions HHC patients may have regional left ventricular systolic dysfunction before global changes,and have a higher prevalence of left ventricular dyssynchrony.RT-3DE is a useful imaging modality for assessing left ventricular systolic function.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To demonstrate the abnormal intima rotation pattern of the carotid atherosclerosis plaque using velocity vector imaging, and to develop a new method for the clinical mechanical state assessment of the plaque intima.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rotation movement and rotation angle on the serial dynamic ultrasonic short-axis gray scale views of 48 isolated atherosclerosis plaques (i. e., upstream, midstream, and downstream) and nearby reference segments of carotid artery in 46 patients were derived and analyzed using a dedicated velocity vector imaging workstation. The incidence of intima rotation movement and the rotation angle at different sections of the plaque and nearby reference segments before and after the standard grip stress test during systole and diastole respectively were counted and measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Before and after the stress test, the intima rotation movement occurred at the majority of the short-axis sections of the plaque and the nearby reference segments during cardiac cycle. Before the stress test, the incidence of intima rotation movement at the upstream section of the plaque during systole was significantly higher than that of reference segment (P = 0.036) The reversal direction of the intima rotation at those sections and reference segment during systole and diastole was demonstrated. After the stress test, the incidence of intima rotation movement at the midstream section of the plaque during diastole was significantly lower than that of reference segment (P = 0.031). The incidence of the intima rotation movement changed at the sections of upstream, midstream, and downstream of the plaque before and after the stress test also were explored (i. e., increased in systole and decreased in diastole) except the reference segment intima.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The intima rotation movement occurs at the majority of the isolated plaque and nearby reference segment, and the incidences of the intima rotation movement at the plaque is different from that of the reference segment during systole and diastole respectively. The abnormal pattern of intima rotation movement may be used to indicate the unstable mechanical state of the isolated plaque intima.</p>