Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Oct 2011
Comparative StudyComparative accuracy of two- and three-dimensional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in identifying mitral valve pathology in patients undergoing mitral valve repair: initial observations.
Identification of mitral regurgitation (MR) mechanism and pathology are crucial for surgical repair. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the comparative accuracy of real-time three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with two-dimensional (2D) TEE and TTE in diagnosing the mechanism of MR compared with the surgical standard. ⋯ All modalities were equally reliable in identifying functional MR. Both 2D TEE and 3D TEE were comparable in diagnosing MR mechanism, while 3D TEE had the advantage of better localizing the disease. With current technology, 3D TTE was the least reliable in identifying valve pathology.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Oct 2011
Comparative StudyUtility of right ventricular free wall speckle-tracking strain for evaluation of right ventricular performance in patients with pulmonary hypertension.
The objectives of this study were to test the utility of right ventricular (RV) speckle-tracking strain as an assessment tool for RV function in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) compared with conventional echocardiographic parameters and to investigate the relationship of the findings obtained with RV speckle-tracking strain with the hemodynamic parameters of RV performance. ⋯ RV-free has the potential to allow for noninvasive follow-up of patients with PH.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Sep 2011
Comparative StudyDeterioration of myocardial function in paradoxical low-flow severe aortic stenosis: two-dimensional strain analysis.
The diagnosis and management of paradoxical low-flow (PLF) aortic stenosis (AS) is challenging in clinical practice. In addition, its pathophysiology has not been fully understood. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that left ventricular (LV) myocardial function is deteriorated in PLF AS and that it is closely related to global LV afterload. ⋯ GLS is depressed in patients with PLF AS. This implies that subclinical myocardial dysfunction may be more prominent in PLF AS compared with normal-flow AS and suggests the possible diagnostic and prognostic value of two-dimensional global strain in identifying PLF AS. In addition, global LV afterload is an important determinant of myocardial dysfunction in patients with severe AS.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Sep 2011
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyRole of Transesophageal Echocardiography Compared to Computed Tomography in Evaluation of Pulmonary Vein Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation (ROTEA study).
Computed tomography (CT) is the gold standard for assessing pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy and stenosis after ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF), but radiation exposure can be a concern. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provides anatomic and functional assessment of the PVs, although no study has prospectively compared findings on TEE with those on CT. ⋯ In the ROTEA study, TEE was feasible in assessing PVs before and after ablation, providing both anatomic and functional information that complemented CT. PV ostial dimensions after ablation can be monitored using either modality, although TEE underestimates PV dimensions, especially for the inferior veins.