Exercise subcostal two-dimensional echocardiography: a new method of segmental wall motion analysis

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Assessing left ventricular (LV) function is crucial for diagnosing and managing cardiac conditions.
• Traditional methods for evaluating LV wall motion may have limitations in accessibility or invasiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of subcostal view 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography for assessing LV wall motion.
• To compare 2-D echocardiographic regional wall motion analysis with first-pass radionuclide angiography.

Main Methods:

• Diagnostic-quality subcostal 2-D echocardiograms were obtained at rest and during symptom-limited upright bicycle exercise.
• Regional wall motion was analyzed and compared between 2-D echocardiography and radionuclide angiography in normal subjects and post-myocardial infarction patients.

Main Results:

• Diagnostic-quality echocardiograms were achieved in 95% of subjects at rest and all with adequate resting studies also had diagnostic-quality exercise studies.
• 2-D echocardiography showed good correlation with radionuclide angiography for segmental wall motion analysis in both normal and post-MI groups (p < 0.001 for anterior, apical, and inferior segments).

Conclusions:

• Subcostal view 2-D echocardiography is a feasible and accurate noninvasive method for analyzing segmental left ventricular function.
• This technique is effective both at rest and during maximal symptom-limited exercise.