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Echocardiography of dilated cardiomyopathy in children

S C Chen1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents, St. Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri.

Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
|February 8, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Echocardiography effectively diagnoses and manages pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy. M-mode and 2D echocardiography assess left ventricular function and structure, with low shortening fraction indicating poor prognosis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in children presents diagnostic challenges.
  • Echocardiography is a key non-invasive tool for cardiac assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the utility of echocardiography in diagnosing and managing pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy.
  • To identify echocardiographic parameters indicative of disease severity and prognosis.

Main Methods:

  • M-mode echocardiography for quantitative assessment of left ventricular (LV) and left atrial dimensions, wall thickness, and systolic function (e.g., shortening fraction, V cf).
  • Two-dimensional echocardiography for evaluating structural abnormalities, excluding valvular or coronary anomalies, and detecting thrombi.

Main Results:

  • LV and left atrial dimensions are typically enlarged (1.5x normal).
  • Markedly reduced LV systolic function is observed, with shortening fraction being a crucial severity index.
  • A very low shortening fraction (12-15%) at presentation and follow-up signifies a poor prognosis.
  • Two-dimensional echocardiography aids in identifying LV free wall involvement over the septum and ruling out other cardiac pathologies.

Conclusions:

  • Echocardiography, encompassing both M-mode and 2D techniques, is a reliable method for the diagnosis and management of pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy.
  • Echocardiographic parameters, particularly shortening fraction, are vital for assessing disease severity and predicting outcomes in affected children.

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