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Updated: May 19, 2026
Transthoracic Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for the Quantitative Assessment of Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation
Published on: October 20, 2016
Severity-Dependent Myocardial Deformation in Patients With Myocardial Bridging Assessed by Speckle-Tracking
Hatice Kemal1, Aziz Gunsel1, Belma Yaman2
1Cardiology Department, Near East University Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Insights
Moderate-to-severe myocardial bridging (MB) is linked to regional heart muscle deformation. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) can reveal these subtle abnormalities in patients with significant MB.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
- Congenital Heart Defects
Background:
- Myocardial bridging (MB) involves systolic compression of coronary arteries.
- While often benign, MB can cause hemodynamic alterations and myocardial dysfunction.
- Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) offers sensitive assessment of myocardial deformation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate myocardial deformation in patients with MB using STE.
- To correlate MB severity with observed strain parameters.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 97 subjects (62 with MB, 35 controls) from 2010-2022.
- Inclusion criteria: isolated mid-left anterior descending artery MB, no significant coronary artery disease.
- MB groups: mild (<50% narrowing) and moderate-severe (≥50% narrowing). Comparison with controls using conventional echocardiography and STE-derived global longitudinal strain (GLS).
Main Results:
- Overall GLS and LVEF were similar between MB patients and controls.
- Significant GLS differences observed across groups: controls (-19.6±2.1%), mild MB (-20.4±1.9%), moderate-severe MB (-18.0±3.2%).
- Moderate-severe MB correlated with reduced strain in multiple segments; mild MB showed comparable strain to controls.
Conclusions:
- Moderate-severe MB is associated with regional myocardial deformation abnormalities.
- STE provides valuable functional insights into myocardial mechanics in hemodynamically significant MB.
Background:
Myocardial bridging (MB) is a congenital coronary anomaly characterized by systolic compression of an intramyocardial coronary artery segment. Although often considered benign, MB may be associated with altered coronary hemodynamic and regional myocardial dysfunction. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) allows sensitive assessment of myocardial deformation and may detect subtle abnormalities not evident with conventional echocardiographic parameters. This study aimed to evaluate myocardial deformation in patients with MB and to investigate the relationship between bridge severity and strain parameters.
Methods:
Patients with MB identified by coronary angiography between 2010 and 2022 were retrospectively analysed. Only patients with isolated mid-left anterior descending artery MB and no significant coronary artery disease were included. Patients were categorized according to the degree of systolic narrowing as mild (<50%, group I) or moderate-severe (≥50%, group II). Control subjects had normal coronary angiograms without MB. Conventional echocardiographic parameters and STE-derived global longitudinal strain (GLS) and segmental strain values were compared among groups.
Results:
Ninety-seven subjects were included (62 with MB and 35 controls). LVEF and overall GLS were similar between MB patients and controls. However, GLS differed significantly across control, group I, and group II (-19.6 ± 2.1%, -20.4 ± 1.9%, and -18.0 ± 3.2%, respectively; p = 0.001). Patients with moderate-severe MB demonstrated less negative strain values in multiple myocardial segments, whereas strain parameters were comparable between controls and mild MB.
Conclusion:
Moderate-severe MB is associated with regional myocardial deformation abnormalities. STE may provide additional functional insight into myocardial mechanics in hemodynamically significant MB.
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