Intracardiac undifferentiated sarcoma in infancy

A rare case of an intracardiac undifferentiated sarcoma in a 3 month old infant is described together with the clinical, angiographic, echocardiographic, surgical and histopathologic findings. The tumor was successfully removed surgically, and monthly echocardiographic follow-up is being performed.     

Prenatal ultrasonic detection of truncus arteriosus with interrupted aortic arch and truncal valve regurgitation

The echocardiographic appearances in a case of persistent truncusarteriosus with aortic arch interruption and truncal valve dysplasiawas noted in a 24 week fetus. Elective termination of pregnancywas carried out and all the echocardiographic findings wereconfirmed by pathological examination suggesting the possibilityof accurate prenatal diagnosis of such lesions.     

Real-time, intracardiac, two-dimensional echocardiography: enhanced depth of field with a low-frequency (12.5 mhz) ultrasound catheter

Advances in catheter-based ultrasound imaging technology allow for a unique opportunity to develop two-dimensional intracardiac echocardiography, an imaging method that could have significant clinical applications. In this study, we evaluated the potential of a new, percutaneous, 9-Fr prototype intracardiac echocardiographic catheter with a 12.5-MHz rotating crystal in 13 dogs. In all dogs, we were able to easily advance the intracardiac echocardiographic catheter into the right and left hearts percutaneously and obtain dynamic images of cardiac structures in various imaging planes. With the intracardiac echocardiographic catheter in the right atrium, the whole chamber could be visualized. Minor manipulation allowed visualization of the right atrium, right ventricle, and tricuspid valve in a two-chamber view; further maneuvering yielded four-chamber views. With advancement of the catheter into the right ventricle and pulmonary artery, the right ventricular cavity, right ventricular outflow tract, and pulmonary artery could be imaged. The intracardiac echocardiographic catheter in the aortic root allowed visualization of the pulmonary artery and its bifurcation, superior portions of the atria, interatrial septum, aortic valve, and the proximal left coronary artery. With the intracardiac echocardiographic catheter in the left ventricle, short-axis images of the whole left ventricle were obtained. Manipulating the catheter tip within the left ventricle, we could visualize the left ventricle, left atrium (LA), and the mitral valve in the long axis. We were also able to visualize and identify experimentally-induced ischemic regional left ventricular dyskinesis (four of of five dogs), aortic valvular tear (five out of five dogs), and pericardial effusion with right atrial collapse (two out of two dogs). Intracardiac echocardiography was not associated with any complications. We conclude that percutaneous, low-frequency intracardiac echocardiography with a 12.5-MHz, 9-Fr catheter yields cardiac images in many imaging planes with a good depth of field, allows identification of valvular, myocardial, and pericardial abnormalities, and has excellent clinical potential in the assessment of many cardiovascular disorders.     

Echocardiographic spectrum of the hypoplastic left heart syndrome: A clinicopathologic correlation in 19 newborns

Ultrasonic studies were performed in 19 neonates with the hypoplastic left heart syndrome whose diagnosis was confirmed at angiography or autopsy, or both. The patients were classified in two echocardiographic groups: Group I, 10 infants whose ventricular septum could be recorded, and Group II, 9 infants whose septum could not be recorded. The findings in these groups were compared with those in 60 neonates without congenital heart disease also studied with ultrasound. Two additional neonates who presented with signs of shock were also studied.The diagnostic echocardiographic features of hypoplastic left heart syndrome were: (1) a left ventricular end-diastolic dimension of less than 9 mm; (2) an aortic root diameter of less than 6 mm; (3) a ratio of left ventricular end-diastolic to right ventricular end-diastolic dimension of less than 0.6; and (4) a mitral valve echo that is absent or greatly distorted and of small amplitude. These echocardiographic criteria differed significantly from findings in the normal group (P < 0.01). Echocardiography proved valuable in neonates with shock. It is a safe, reliable technique that can be used to delineate the intracardiac anatomy in sick neonates with the hypoplastic left heart syndrome.     

Echocardiography for Hemodynamic Assessment of Patients With Advanced Heart Failure and Potential Heart Transplant Recipients

Objectives. This study sought to assess the accuracy of Doppler echocardiographic techniques for the determination of right heart catheterization hemodynamic variables in patients with advanced heart failure and in potential heart transplant recipients.

Background. Doppler echocardiographic techniques permit the noninvasive acquisition of hemodynamic variables traditionally used for the assessment of patients with advanced heart failure and potential heart transplant candidates. However, the accuracy of these techniques has not been sufficiently well documented for clinical application in individual patients.

Methods. Echocardiographic data required for estimation of mean right atrial, pulmonary artery and mean left atrial pressures and cardiac output were obtained. Right heart catheterization was performed immediately after Doppler echocardiographic data were acquired, before any intervention that might have altered the subject’s hemodynamic status.

Results. A complete Doppler echocardiographic hemodynamic data set was acquired in 21 (84%) of 25 subjects. For all variables, invasive and noninvasive hemodynamic values were highly correlated (p < 0.001), with minimal bias and narrow 95% confidence limits. An algorithm constructed from the noninvasive hemodynamic variable values identified all patients with adverse pulmonary vascular hemodynamic variables (i.e., transpulmonary gradient ≥12 mm Hg, pulmonary vascular resistance ≥3 Wood units or pulmonary vascular resistance index ≥6 Wood units × m²). This algorithm identified 12 (71%) of 19 patients for whom right heart catheterization was unnecessary.

Conclusions. Doppler echocardiographic estimates of hemodynamic variables in patients with advanced heart failure are accurate and reproducible. This noninvasive methodology may assist with monitoring and optimization of medical therapy in patients with advanced heart failure and may obviate the need for routine right heart catheterization in potential heart transplant candidates.     

Severe dynamic obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract induced by dobutamine

We present the case of a 63-year-old man who developed a subaortic gradient of 182 mmHg during an echocardiographic pharmacological stress study with dobutamine.     

Two dimensional echocardiographic visualization of ventricular septal rupture after acute anterior myocardial infarction

In three consecutive cases of ventricular septal rupture after acute anterior myocardial infarction, wide angle two dimensional echocardiography readily visualized the septal defect, permitting the defect to be localized and its size estimated. In addition, negative contrast echoventriculography identified a left to right shunt at the ventricular level. The echocardiographic findings were corroborated by cardiac catheterization data in all patients, by perioperative examination in two and by postmortem findings in one patient. Postoperative echocardiographic studies afforded demonstration of the patch closing the defect.In patients with acute myocardial infarction associated with the sudden appearance of a systolic murmur, two dimensional echocardiography should be performed promptly in order to guide the diagnosis and management of these critically ill patients. In some patients with severe cardiogenic shock, in whom a favorable prognosis depends on rapid treatment, two dimensional echocardiography may allow the patient to be taken to surgery immediately without further study.     

Two-dimensional echocardiographic recognition of complications of cardiac invasive procedures

Two-dimensional echocardiography allowed prompt recognition of a major complication of a cardiac invasive procedure in 6 patients. In 5 cases, a preinvasive echocardiographic study was available for comparison. In 1 patient with perforation of the ventricular septum by a temporary pacemaker, the catheter was visualized as it passed through the ventricular septum, with the tip located against the left ventricular posterolateral wall. In another patient, the intimal flap caused by aortic dissection after left-sided heart catheterization was clearly visualized. In 2 patients with hemopericardium secondary to cardiac perforation during right-sided cardiac catheterization, 2-dimensional echocardiography revealed pericardial effusion not noted in studies performed before the invasive procedure. Two patients in whom hemopericardium occurred from injury by the pericardiocentesis needle also were studied by 2-dimensional echocardiography. Postpericardiocentesis images revealed new intrapericardial abnormalities (a thrombus-like mass and fibrinous strands) not present in the echocardiographic studies performed before pericardiocentesis. Real-time 2-dimensional echocardiography appears to be a good tool in the recognition of the emergencies secondary to cardiac invasive procedures.     

Two dimensional echocardiographic evaluation of mustard operation for d-transposition of the great arteries

Two dimensional sector scan echocardiography was used to evaluate the morphologic characteristics of the surgically revised atria in 17 patients with d-transposition of the great arteries who had undergone the Mustard operation. Echocardiographic imaging of the atria was obtained from various planar projections. Dimensional measurements of various segments of the systemic and pulmonary venous atria were obtained in each patient. Correlative hemodynamic, angiographic, postmortem and echocardiographic data showed that seven patients (Group I) had no structural abnormalities of the atria. These 7 patients served as controls for 10 other patients with structural abnormalities of the surgically created atria. One patient (Group II) showed stenosis of the junction of the superior vena cava and systemic venous atrium compared with findings in the control group. Three patients (Group III) had significantly reduced echocardiographic dimensions of the junction of the anterior and posterior segments of the pulmonary venous atrium. Six patients (Group IV) had increased echocardiographic dimensions of all components of the pulmonary venous atrium due to tricuspid regurgitation. These data show that qualitative and quantitative two dimensional sector echocardiography can reliably detect structural abnormalities of the surgically revised atria after the Mustard operation.     

心脏再同步化治疗慢性心力衰竭的疗效评价及无效原因分析

目的 评价心脏再同步化治疗(CRT)对慢性心力衰竭患者的临床和超声心动图疗效,总结CRT无效的原因.方法 研究施行CRT的患者53例,男37例,女16例,年龄41～82岁.患者术前均采用血流多普勒和组织多普勒的方法进行收缩不同步的评价,术前和术后6个月进行美国纽约心脏病学会(NYHA)心功能分级评价、心电图和超声心动图检查.临床有效者定义为术后6个月NYHA心功能分级改善1级以上的患者.超声心动图有效者定义为术后6个月左室收缩末容积缩小＞15%或左室射血分数绝对值增加＞5%的患者.结果 CRT术后6个月时,7例患者死亡,46例患者存活.其中NYHA心功能分级至少改善1级者40例,临床有效率为75.5%;超声心动图有效者37例(69.8%).术后6个月:左心室缩小;左室射血分数由(27.4±6.7)%增加到(40.4±10.0)%,P＜0.01;左心房内径缩小;二尖瓣反流减少;肺动脉收缩压由(49.6±13.6)mm Hg(1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa)降低为(38.7±14.5)mm Hg.窦性心律组(42例)的超声有效率显著高于心房颤动组(11例).在窦性心律患者中,与CRT无效组(10例)相比,有效组(32例)起搏前的QRS较宽(P＜0.05),肺动脉收缩压较低(P＜0.05),左室射血前时间较长(P＜0.05);起搏前两组间腔室大小、LVEF、二尖瓣反流面积和组织多普勒的各个收缩不同步参数的差异无统计学意义.结论 CRT能改善心力衰竭患者的左室收缩功能和左室重构,减少二尖瓣反流,降低肺动脉收缩压.窦性心律组的CRT疗效优于心房颤动组.在非缺血性心肌病和左束支传导阻滞患者占多数的研究中,QRS宽度、左室射血前时间和肺动脉收缩压可能预测CRT的疗效.     

A case of confirmed nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis with correlative transesophageal echocardiographic findings

The diagnosis of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is rarely made during life. We describe a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with evidence of systemic embolism in which transesophageal echocardiography was useful in establishing the diagnosis. The clinical and echocardiographic features of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis should be remembered when a valvular mass is seen on echocardiography.     

Transesophageal Echocardiography Identification and Validation of Individual Tricuspid Valve Leaflets

The present study demonstrates the usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in the identification of individual leaflets of the tricuspid valve. Validation was obtained by selecting patients with specific lesions involving individual tricuspid leaflets and correlating the transesophageal echocardiographic findings with surgery.     

Diagnostic performance of two-dimensional versus three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic images of selected pathologies evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis

The sensitivity and specificity of 2-D and 3-D echocardiographic images for the detection of selected morphological abnormalities were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Five experienced clinical echocardiographers blinded to the patients' diagnoses evaluated the 20 original static 2-D image sets and 20 corresponding 3-D reconstructions using a five point categorical scale that ranged from definitely abnormal to definitely normal. The ROC curve for the 3-D images was significantly (P < 0.05) closer to the ideal discrimination function than was the ROC curve for the 2-D transesophageal images (i.e., the sensitivity of the 3-D images was higher than that of the 2-D sequential images at the same specificity). In conclusion: 3-D transesophageal images provided better visual clues for the identification of morphological abnormalities than did serial 2-D echocardiographic images despite the same input information in both image formats. The use of ROC analysis assisted in the comparison of these two imaging techniques.     

Diagnostic catheterization and balloon sizing of atrial septal defects by echocardiographic guidance without fluoroscopy

To avoid x-ray exposure prior to interventional closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs), we recently developed a technique for diagnostic catheterization and balloon sizing of the defect by echocardiographic guidance without fluoroscopy. We report on our first experiences with this technique. Fourteen patients with atrial septal perforations (mean age, 23 years; range, 1-66 years) underwent diagnostic catheterization and balloon sizing prior to possible interventional defect closure. Mean size of the defects was 16 mm (7-29 mm). Mean left-to-right shunt was Qp/Qs = 2.0 (range, 1.0-4.0). Without fluoroscopy, the procedures were performed in two children by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and in 12 patients by both TTE and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Mean procedure time was 59 minutes (range, 35-90 minutes). We conclude that oxymetry, pressure recordings, and the estimation of the balloon-stretched size of atrial septal perforations can be performed safely by echocardiographic guidance without fluoroscopy. The x-ray exposure for patient selection prior to a transcatheter closure of an ASD can be avoided with this technique.     

胎儿超声心动图产前诊断先天性心脏病准确性评价

目的 评价胎儿超声心动图产前诊断先天性心脏病的准确性.方法 回顾2001年1月至2007年12月诊断为先天性心脏病胎儿的超声心动图资料,将产前诊断与胎儿心脏病理诊断或出生后新生儿超声心动图诊断结果进行比较.结果 研究期间共诊断胎儿先天性心脏病113例,初次检查时平均孕周为26.8周.79例(70%)行胎儿心脏病理检查或新生儿超声心动图检查确诊,其中68例产前诊断与产后诊断相符,产前诊断准确率86%.锥干畸形诊断准确率77%(24/31),间隔缺损96%(26/27),瓣膜畸形90%(9/10),单心室畸形83%(5/6).产前假阳性诊断4例,阳性预测值95%(75/79).结论 胎儿超声心动图检查是先天性心脏病产前诊断的有效方法,能够对各种常见类型的先天性心脏病进行准确诊断.完整的分段诊断是降低漏诊及误诊率,提高诊断准确性的关键.     

Resolution and accuracy in two dimensional echocardiography

The resolution and accuracy of commercially available two dimensional echocardiographic systems were tested by Imaging two types of in vitro test objects. One consisted of a series of fine parallel threads spaced at known intervals and the other was a tissue phantom in which a series of holes of known size had been cut. The echocardiographic systems tested included a mechanical single element sector scanner, a three element rotary sector scanner and a phased array system. Azlmuthal resolution, lateral resolution and accuracy of horizontal distance measurements were assessed at depths of 2 and 6 cm.For each system, azimuthal resolution was better than lateral resolution, especially when assessed with use of the parallel threads. When the tissue phantom was imaged, the best resolution (2 mm in azimuthal and lateral directions) was obtained with the highest frequency transducer tested (3.5 MHz). The apparent size of a tissue defect was sensitive to gain settings, especially at a depth of 2 cm with lower frequency transducers; at a depth of 6 cm, echographic measurements of defect size were accurate to within 2.5 mm. Recent applications of two dimensional echocardiography require resolution near the apparent limits of current equipment. It Is recommended that the highest frequency transducer and lowest possible gain settings be used in these situations.     

Transesophageal echocardiographic identification of left subclavian artery stenosis with steal phenomenon

In this report, we present the first case of the transesophageal echocardiographic identification of left subclavian artery stenosis and steal phenomenon.     

Right Ventricular Function and Beneficial Effects of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients With Systolic Chronic Heart Failure

Background

It has been recognized that a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program improves mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. On the other hand, the magnitude of the improvement in exercise capacity after CR differs among individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the echocardiographic determinants of responders to CR using preload stress echocardiography.