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Updated: Jul 22, 2026
Transthoracic Echocardiography in Mice
Published on: May 29, 2010
[The relationship of the left atrial spontaneous echo contrast integrated backscatter with left atrial appendix
Tarkan Tekten1, O Alper Onbaşili, Ceyhun Ceyhan
1Adnan Menderes Universitesi Tip Fakültesi Kardiyoloji Anabilim Dali, Aydin. tarkantekten@superonline.com
Objective:
Integrated backscatter (IBS) is an objective method to measure spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) quantitatively. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the quantitative values of left atrial SEC measured by using IBS with its qualitative gradation as well as the left atrial appendix (LAA) functions and LAA tissue Doppler characteristics (TD).
Methods:
Thirty-two patients (23 female, 9 male) with various diseases undergoing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) were included. Mean age was 52 + 13 years. Left atrial SEC was graded as no SEC (n = 12), mild (n = 12) or severe SEC (n = 8) in patients underwent TEE. LAA peak emptying and LAA apical and basal TD velocities were measured. LAA ejection fraction was assessed by standard means.
Results:
Between no SEC and mild SEC groups, left atrium IBS and LAA apical TD values were found statistically significant. But there were no differences between two groups regarding LAA emptying velocities, LAA ejection fraction values and LAA basal TD values. All of these parameters were found statistically different between severe and mild SEC groups. The left atrial IBS values were found to be correlated positively with the qualitative SEC grade. The left atrial IBS values correlated negatively with LAA emptying, apical TD velocities and LAA ejection fraction values.
Conclusion:
Integrated backscatter provides an objective quantitative measure of SEC that correlates well with LAA apical TD velocities and the other parameters of LAA.
