Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
06:34
Evaluation of Left Ventricular Structure and Function using 3D Echocardiography
Published on: October 28, 2020
4.8K
Two-dimensional and three-dimensional left ventricular deformation analysis: a study in competitive athletes.
Flavio D'Ascenzi1, Marco Solari2, Michele Mazzolai2
1Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Viale M. Bracci, 16, 53100, Siena, Italy. flavio.dascenzi@unisi.it.
The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
|August 15, 2016
Summary
Three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D STE) offers advantages over 2D STE for assessing athlete's heart. However, 3D STE and 2D STE measurements are not interchangeable due to systematic differences.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D STE) assesses cardiac function in athletes.
- Three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D STE) may overcome 2D STE limitations.
- Discrepancies between 2D and 3D STE have been reported.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare left ventricular (LV) dimensions and function between athletes and controls using 2D and 3D STE.
- To evaluate differences in LV myocardial strain measurements between 2D and 3D STE in athletes.
- To assess the agreement between 2D and 3D STE for LV strain analysis.
Main Methods:
- 161 individuals (91 athletes, 70 controls) were analyzed.
- 2D and 3D echocardiography with STE were used to assess LV size, mass, ejection fraction, and myocardial strain (longitudinal, radial, circumferential).
- Bland-Altman analysis was performed to evaluate agreement between 2D and 3D STE.
Main Results:
- Athletes exhibited larger LV dimensions and mass compared to controls (p < 0.0001).
- No significant differences in LV ejection fraction were found between athletes and controls.
- Longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strains did not differ between athletes and controls by either 2D or 3D STE.
- 3D STE showed lower longitudinal and circumferential strain (p < 0.0001) and greater radial strain (p < 0.001) compared to 2D STE.
- Bland-Altman analysis revealed systematic errors between 2D and 3D STE for LV myocardial deformation.
Conclusions:
- 3D STE is a feasible technique for assessing myocardial deformation.
- Significant discrepancies exist between 2D and 3D STE-derived strain values.
- 2D STE and 3D STE are not interchangeable for analyzing LV myocardial strain.
