Assessment of Myocardial Infarct Size by Three-Dimensional and Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography: A Comparative Study to Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To compare three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) techniques in the assessment of left ventricular function and myocardial infarct size (MIS). METHODS: Thirty-two patients diagnosed with ST elevation myocardial infarction and 18 healthy control patients underwent 2D echocardiography, 3D echocardiography, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). 3D left ventricular global area strain (GAS), 2D and 3D global longitudinal strain (GLS), global radial strain (GRS) as well as global circumferential strain (GCS) were analyzed to correlate with myocardial infarct size detected by SPECT. 2D and 3D left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as well as 2D and 3D wall motion score index (WMSI) also were measured using conventional echocardiography. RESULTS: The 2D-GLS values were significantly higher than that of 3D-GLS, while 2D-GCS and GRS were significantly lower than 3D-GCS and GRS, respectively. However, no significant differences in LVEF and WMSI could be observed between 2D and 3D echocardiography. Myocardial strain indices, LVEF, and WMSI using 2D and 3D echocardiography also had good correlations with MIS as measured by SPECT. ROC curve analysis showed that the 3D and 2D myocardial indices, LVEF, and WMSI could distinguish between small and large MIS, while 2D-GLS had the highest AUC. CONCLUSION: The 2D and 3D myocardial strain indices correlated well with MIS by SPECT. Among them, the 2D-GLS showed the highest diagnostic value, while 3D-GRS and GCS had better diagnostic value than 2D-GRS and GCS.

Evaluation of myocardial infarction size with three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography: a comparison with single photon emission computed tomography.

To assess whether global and regional myocardial strains from three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE) correlate with myocardial infarction size (MIS) detected by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Fifty-seven patients with a history of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) within 3-6 months were enrolled, alongside 24 healthy volunteers. Left ventricular (LV) global area strain, global longitudinal strain (GLS), global radial strain, global circumferential strain, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and wall motion score index (WMSI) were measured and compared with the corresponding SPECT-detected MISs. Patients were sub-grouped into massive MIS group (MIS ≥ 12%) and small MIS group (MIS < 12%). Myocardial strains of all the LV segments were compared with the corresponding MIS. Global myocardial strain parameters, LVEF and WMSI of the patients were significantly different from the control group (all P < 0.05) and correlated well with MISs, most significantly for GLS (r = 0.728, P < 0.01). Significant differences in myocardial strain parameters were found between the massive and small MIS groups (all P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that GLS had a highest diagnostic value and when the cutoff was -13.8%, the area under the curve was 0.84, with the 70.6% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity. Significant differences of myocardial strain parameters were observed between segments with and without transmural MIs (P < 0.01). 3D-STE myocardial strain parameters evaluated LV global MIS, 3D GLS had the highest diagnostic value. It also preliminarily gauged the degree of ischemia and necrosis of regional myocardial segments.