Speckle tracking echocardiography in very preterm infants: feasibility and reference values

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Neonatology

Background:

• Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) analyzes ultrasound images to assess cardiac motion and deformation.
• Conventional ultrasound provides foundational imaging for STE analysis.
• Left ventricular function assessment is crucial in preterm infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility and reliability of STE for evaluating the left ventricle in very preterm infants.
• To determine the robustness of different STE parameters (longitudinal, circumferential, radial) in this population.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of apical 4 chamber (4CH) and short axis (SAX) clips using TomTec software.
• Manual tracing of cardiac borders and automated segmentation of the left ventricle.
• Visual scoring of tracking accuracy and calculation of segmental and global deformation parameters.

Main Results:

• Seventy-four clips from 51 preterm infants (median gestational age 28 weeks) were analyzed.
• High feasibility for longitudinal (95.5%) and radial (96.2%) parameters in 4CH views.
• Good reliability for longitudinal and circumferential parameters, with lower reliability for radial parameters.

Conclusions:

• STE is a feasible technique for assessing left ventricular function in preterm infants.
• Optimal image acquisition is critical for accurate STE analysis.
• Longitudinal parameters from 4CH views and circumferential parameters from SAX views are the most robust.