Quantitative analysis of echocardiographic cine-loops using a 2D-strain algorithm in correlation with thallium-201...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Assessing regional left ventricular (LV) function and perfusion is crucial for diagnosing and managing myocardial ischemia.
• Two-dimensional (2D)-strain echocardiography offers a quantitative method to evaluate regional LV contractility.
• Thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a standard technique for assessing regional LV myocardial perfusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between regional LV contractility derived from 2D-strain echocardiography and regional LV perfusion determined by SPECT imaging.
• To evaluate the feasibility of correlating these two imaging modalities in patients with suspected myocardial ischemia.

Main Methods:

• Forty-five patients with suspected myocardial ischemia underwent same-day 2D-strain echocardiography and SPECT imaging.
• 2D-strain echocardiography provided peak systolic longitudinal strain measurements from three apical views.
• SPECT imaging provided regional myocardial perfusion data, which were compared with strain data after image registration.

Main Results:

• The overall mean correlation coefficient between SPECT perfusion and 2D-strain measurements was 0.56.
• Correlation coefficients varied by view, with the apical four-chamber view showing the highest correlation (0.64).
• A nonlinear relationship was observed between regional perfusion and strain values.

Conclusions:

• Regional LV contractility assessed by 2D-strain echocardiography shows a moderate correlation with regional LV perfusion determined by SPECT.
• These findings suggest that 2D-strain echocardiography can provide complementary information to SPECT for evaluating myocardial viability and ischemia.
• Further research may explore the combined use of these techniques for improved patient management.