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[Two-dimensional echocardiographic echo intensity distribution by histographic analysis]
K Kawamura1, H Hishida, Y Sakabe
1Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita-Gakuen Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake.
Insights
Analyzing echocardiogram echo intensity histograms can identify myocardial tissue changes. This method effectively differentiates normal hearts from those with left ventricular hypertrophy or myocardial infarction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Echocardiography is crucial for assessing cardiac health.
- Quantifying myocardial tissue characteristics can aid in diagnosing cardiac conditions.
Observation:
- Two-dimensional echocardiogram echo intensity histograms were analyzed.
- Data were collected from normal subjects, patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and patients with myocardial infarction (MI).
- Specific parameters like mean echo intensity, skewness, and kurtosis were measured.
Findings:
- Significant differences in relative echo intensity, skewness, and kurtosis were observed across the groups (p < 0.01).
- Patients with MI showed higher relative echo intensity and lower skewness and kurtosis compared to LVH and normal subjects.
- These changes correlate with increased collagen fiber content in myocardial tissue.
Implications:
- Myocardial echo intensity distribution analysis offers a valuable tool for identifying tissue changes.
- This technique may enhance the clinical diagnosis of conditions like LVH and MI.
- Further research could refine this imaging analysis for broader clinical application.
Abstract:
To assess myocardial tissue changes, the distribution of echo intensities of two-dimensional echocardiograms was analyzed using a histogram. The materials were obtained from six normal subjects (N), 29 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and 12 patients one year or more after the onset of anteroseptal myocardial infarction (MI). A transducer with a central frequency of 2.3 MHz was used. Scanner receiver settings, including sensitivity-time control, were kept constant for all subjects. The parasternal long-axis image was digitized and computer-processed. The region of interest was located within the interventricular septum. The mean echo intensity and its distribution were studied. The shape of the histogram was evaluated for skewness and kurtosis. Relative echo intensity: N = 0.23 +/- 0.07 (mean +/- SD) less than LVH = 0.58 +/- 0.18 less than MI = 1.07 +/- 0.25 (p less than 0.01). Skewness: N = 1.58 +/- 0.63 greater than LVH = 0.60 +/- 0.61 greater than MI = -0.14 +/- 0.43 (p less than 0.01). Kurtosis: N = 18.0 +/- 7.3 greater than LVH = 10.5 +/- 3.3 greater than MI = 7.7 +/- 0.9 (p less than 0.01). These differences may closely relate to an increase in collagen fiber content. Consequently, analysis of the myocardial echo intensity distribution, in addition to mean echo intensities, may become a clinically useful approach for identifying myocardial tissue changes.