Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 10, 2025

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
07:41

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure

Published on: February 8, 2022

3.8K

Evaluation of right atrial function by two-dimensional echocardiography and strain imaging in patients with RCA CTO

Recha Blessing1,2, Ioannis Drosos3, Thomas Münzel4,5

  • 1University Medical Center Mainz - Center of Cardiology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. recha.blessing@unimedizin-mainz.de.

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
|February 11, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Successful recanalization of chronic total occlusion in the right coronary artery (RCA CTO) significantly improves right atrial (RA) function. This study highlights the benefits of restoring blood flow for right heart health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Medicine
  • Echocardiography

Background:

  • The right coronary artery (RCA) supplies blood to the right heart.
  • The impact of RCA chronic total occlusion (CTO) on right heart function and the benefits of revascularization are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate changes in right atrial (RA) function after successful RCA CTO recanalization.
  • To assess the efficacy of restoring blood flow on right heart performance.

Main Methods:

  • Fifty-five patients with RCA CTO underwent successful recanalization.
  • Right atrial strain imaging was performed before and 6 months after the procedure.
  • Transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess RA function.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were observed in RA volume, area, or dimensions post-recanalization.
  • Mean RA reservoir strain significantly improved from baseline (30.9%) to follow-up (33.4%) (p < 0.001).
  • Mean RA contraction strain also showed significant improvement (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Right atrial function is impaired in patients with RCA CTO.
  • Successful revascularization of RCA CTO leads to significant improvements in RA function, as evidenced by strain imaging.
Abstract

Keywords:
Chronic total occlusion (CTO)Coronary artery diseasePercutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)Right atrium (RA)Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DE STE)

More Related Videos

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation08:10

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: July 20, 2022

1.7K
Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography07:11

Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography

Published on: October 28, 2020

2.9K

Related Concept Videos

Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies01:22

Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies

The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...
43
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography01:20

Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography

Echocardiography plays a role in assessing cardiac health and detecting heart conditions, with various types providing critical insights for diagnosis and treatment.
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for...
319
Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies01:30

Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies

Diagnosing acute coronary syndrome or ACS begins with a thorough patient history. Notable symptoms include central, crushing chest pain radiating to the left arm, neck, jaw, or back, along with shortness of breath, sweating (diaphoresis), nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and palpitations.It is crucial to note any history of cardiac illnesses and assess risk factors, including age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and a sedentary lifestyle.During physical examination, vital...
19
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System I:Echocardiography01:17

Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System I:Echocardiography

Cardiac imaging studies encompass a wide range of noninvasive and minimally invasive techniques designed to visualize the heart's structure and function in detail. One such technique is echocardiography, which uses high-frequency ultrasound waves to produce detailed images of the heart, known as echocardiograms.
Indications: Echocardiography is utilized to diagnose heart failure, valve disorders, and myocardial infarction. It also assesses cardiac structures' size, shape, and motion,...
397
Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization01:21

Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization

Right Heart Catheterization: An OverviewRight heart catheterization is an invasive diagnostic procedure that measures right-sided cardiac and pulmonary artery pressures, calculates cardiac output, and identifies intracardiac shunts. It provides detailed hemodynamic data essential for diagnosing and managing various cardiovascular conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension.Access SitesCommon access sites for right heart catheterization include the internal jugular vein in the neck region, the...
76
Mitral Stenosis II: Clinical features and Diagnostic Tests01:23

Mitral Stenosis II: Clinical features and Diagnostic Tests

Mitral stenosis is a heart condition in which the mitral valve, which allows blood to flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle, becomes narrowed or stenotic. This narrowing hinders blood flow and leads to clinical symptoms requiring specific medical evaluations and management strategies. The following overview outlines the clinical symptoms, assessments, diagnostic findings, prevention methods, and treatments for mitral stenosis.Clinical ManifestationsDyspnea (shortness of breath): This...
29