Two-dimensional echocardiography in myocardial amyloidosis

Two-dimensional echocardiography is the best means of identifying early cardiac amyloid infiltration and gauging its subsequent progression. The early asymptomatic phase is characterized on echocardiography by a mild-to-moderate increase in left ventricular and/or right ventricular wall thicknesses. The distinctive combination of low electrocardiography voltage and increase in left ventricular mass on the echocardiogram, both compatible with substantial amyloid infiltration, is valuable in diagnosis and appears to indicate the severity of the disease. Other ancillary but common findings are left atrial dilatation, a small pericardial effusion, thickening of cardiac valves, papillary muscles, and interatrial septum. Finally, there is a peculiar texture of myocardial walls, with highly refractile areas that are typical, although not specific, of myocardial amyloidosis and can also be quantitatively described by digital image analysis techniques. The echocardiographic appearance of amyloidosis can closely mimic several other diseases. Asymmetric hypertrophy of the septum due to amyloid deposition may occur, simulating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The granular sparkling of myocardial walls is also found in myocarditis with severe fibrosis, and it is quite common in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, as well as in other infiltrative diseases of the myocardium. It is not uncommon that the echocardiographic examination represents a turning point in the work-up of the patient, briskly orienting the clinician towards the correct diagnostic pathway. However, the likelihood of the cardiologist-echocardiographer to successfully and prospectively identify myocardial amyloidosis is substantially higher if all the clinical and electrocardiographic information is reviewed at the time of the echocardiographic examination.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography during endomyocardial biopsy

53 consecutive and unselected patients undergoing endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) had concomitant two-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE) and fluoroscopic control during 62 biopsy procedures (49 of the right, 13 of the left ventricle) in order to assess the capacity of 2DE to identify biopsy site, to allow a selective biopsy in different areas of the ventricles and to foresee a positive sampling. The echocardiographic documentation of a close contact of the bioptome tip with the ventricular wall was compared with the presence of endomyocardial tissue in the forceps of the bioptome. Contact of the bioptome tip with the endocardium was visualized in 86% of the right ventricular biopsies and in 85% of the left ventricular biopsies. Under 2DE monitoring it was possible to change the site of biopsy and selected areas were easily sampled. In a subgroup of 29 biopsies prospectively studied to assess the ability of 2DE to foresee positive sampling, the 2DE forecast was confirmed in 93% of the right and in 100% of the left ventricular samples. The apical view was more commonly used because it provides a good visualization of the bioptome tip and of intracardiac structures without interfering with concomitant fluoroscopic control. Our results suggest that 2DE monitoring during EMB may: 1) provide definite forceps position during the procedure in a large number of patients; 2) guide the bioptome to obtain samples from different and/or selected sites of the ventricles; 3) foresee a positive samples.     

Two-dimensional colour-coded echocardiography in Ebstein's anomaly

We describe the contribution of 2-dimensional colour-coded Doppler echocardiography to identifying, in a 15-year-old girl a clinically mild Ebstein's anomaly with associated ventricular septal defect (VSD) which, by pulsed-Doppler, was misinterpreted as Ebstein's anomaly with tricuspid regurgitation.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography in discrete subaortic stenosis

Thirty-seven patients with discrete subaortic stenosis (DSS) underwent 2-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo) and cardiac catheterization. The peak systolic pressure gradients ranged from 0 to 150 mm Hg. Thirty-two patients had membranous DSS and 5 had fibromuscular DSS. Of 37 patients with DSS, 2-D echo diagnosed the presence and type in 35; in 2, a membrane was demonstrated by angiography. Of the 35 patients accurately diagnosed by 2-D echo, angiography corroborated the diagnosis in 33, but failed to show the membrane in 2. Subsequent cardiac surgery confirmed the accuracy of the echocardiographic diagnosis in these 2 patients. In all patients with membranous DSS, the anterior insertion of the membrane was demonstrated. In 9 of them the posterior insertion was demonstrated by tilt of the transducer but the anterior insertion disappeared. In 4 patients both insertions were demonstrated simultaneously and in 3 patients the membrane was demonstrated as a continuous line. In 4 of the 5 patients with fibromuscular DSS, both insertions of the lesion were demonstrated simultaneously. However, 2-D echo was unsuccessful in assessing the severity of obstruction. In only 1 patient did demonstration of the whole subaortic membrane as a continuous line below the aortic valve correlate with severe obstruction. Thus, the presence and type of DSS, but not the degree and severity, can be accurately and reliably diagnosed by means of 2-D echo.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography and mitral valve involvement

Two-dimensional echocardiography has been a decisive advance in the investigation of rheumatic valvular disease. In mitral stenosis, short axis views enable a quantitative evaluation of mitral surface area by planimetry. Long axis views contain additional important information on the state of the subvalvular apparatus and on the possible presence of left atrial thrombosis. The quantitative assessment of regurgitant flow in mitral incompetence is difficult and can only be approximative. On the other hand, the mechanism of mitral incompetence may be clearly demonstrated in: - mitral valve prolapse with the characteristic bowing of the posterior leaflet; - rheumatic mitral incompetence with the abnormal valvular thickening showing the post-rheumatic retractile fibrosis; - ruptured chordae with eversion of the tip of one of the values in the left atrium; - infective endocarditis with ruptured chordae and vegetations; - cogenital mitral incompetence where the superiority of 2D echo over M mode is most marked, the apical incidences demonstrating the high VSD, ostium primum defect and cleft mitral valve. The limitations of the method are also discussed.     

Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic study of coronary arteriovenous fistulas

Sixteen patients with coronary arteriovenous fistula (CAVF) were studied by two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE). Of these 12 had Doppler studies. In all, the diagnosis of CAVF was confirmed by aortic root or selective coronary angiography. In 8 patients, the 2DE findings suggested CAVF. Five patients had dilated main coronary arteries and in 4 patients abnormal fistulous channels were identified. Two had diastolic flutter of the tricuspid valve and one had spontaneous contrast in the right atrium. In 11 out of 12 patients, Doppler analysis picked up a continuous flow (to the right atrium in 5, right ventricle in 4 and to both ventricles in 2 patients) prior to the cardiac catheterisation. We conclude that noninvasive diagnosis of CAVF can be made with the combined use of two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography in most of the patients.     

Two-dimensional contrast echocardiography in pulmonary arteriovenous fistula

Definitive clinical diagnosis of congenital pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is extremely difficult. In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of echocardiography, 2 cases with suspected pulmonary arteriovenous fistula were studied. In the first case, there was a solitary pulmonary arteriovenous fistula, while in the second multiple minute pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas were illustrated. The solitary lesion was demonstrated by two-dimensional and peripheral vein contrast echocardiography. However, in the second case direct visualization of the lesion was not possible but peripheral vein contrast echocardiography showed abnormal filling of the left atrium with echo contrast material.     

Two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (clinical value)]

The introduction of two-dimensional echocardiography (echo 2D) complemented by doppler techniques has allowed to assess the dynamic function of the heart. However in 10-15% patients the standard transthoracic method (TEE) does not provide complete echocardiographic image due to obesity, emphysema and deformations of thorax. These difficulties have been later overcome by transesophageal probe, but it made the examination possible only in one plane-monoplane TEE (m-TEE). Transesophageal echocardiography the biplane probe (bi-TEE), introduced in late 80s has permitted the heart and aorta visualization in two perpendicular planes: transverse (T) and longitudinal (L). The purpose of our study was to establish the diagnostic value of biplane transesophageal echocardiography in comparison with hitherto existing monoplane echocardiography (transverse plane). The study group consists of 60 patients (aged 19-78 years) with various diseases of heart and aorta. We performed biplane transesophageal examinations with the use of Aloka SSD-870 echocardiograph connected with the biplane probe (45 patients) or new, prototypical matrix probe (15 patients). For the heart and aorta assessment the typical projections were used. The advantages of biplane TEE compared with monoplane TEE are as follows: 1) more favorable left ventricular examination, 2) better assessment of the heart apex, 3) the ability to investigate the right heart; tricuspid valve, right ventricular outflow tract, pulmonary valve, pulmonary trunk and right pulmonary artery, 4) precise imaging of both atrial' structures: cavities, intraatrial septum, foramen ovale, left atrial appendage, venae cavae and pulmonary veins, 5) possibility of thoracic aorta diagnostics, especially in ascending aorta.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Two-dimensional echocardiography in post traumatic tricuspid incompetence

Four patients with post traumatic tricuspid incompetence underwent complete two-dimensional echocardiographic study. Systolic intra-atrial protrusion of the anterior tricuspid leaflet beyond the valvular ring, with total loss of coaptation with the other leaflets, was documented in all patients. These abnormalities were not evident in all transducer locations suggesting the possibility of false negative echocardiograms. An echocardiogram showing a marked systolic excursion of a tricuspid leaflet into the right atrium beyond the level of the tricuspid ring together with the total loss of coaptation does not necessarily mean the rupture of the subvalvular apparatus.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

In order to study myocardial and clinical events during transient coronary occlusion in humans, two-dimensional echocardiography was continuously performed in 15 patients undergoing 49 balloon inflations during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Transient segmental asynergy developed in all patients 8 +/- 3 seconds after balloon inflation and returned to baseline 19 +/- 8 seconds after balloon deflation. Segmental dyskinesis was seen in only 8 of 11 patients undergoing PTCA of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). A wall motion score, based on degree of asynergy of 13 segments of the left ventricle, was significantly higher during LAD than during right coronary artery inflation (7.9 +/- 1.3 vs 4.0 +/- 1.4, p less than 0.01). Left ventricular size index increased significantly during balloon inflation, from 179 +/- 9 to 196 +/- 10 mm (p less than 0.01). Four patients developed transient ST segment changes in the extremity leads of the ECG and five patients had angina pectoris. The very first sign of ischemia in three patients, who developed all of these symptoms together, was consistently asynergy, followed by ECG changes, and last, angina pectoris. Thus during PTCA, transient asynergy and left ventricular dilatation develop, which are often clinically silent.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography in double orifice mitral valve

In a patient with endocarditis and significant aortic insufficiency, two-dimensional echocardiography revealed an abnormal mitral valve configuration with division of the valve into two separate orifices. At autopsy, a double orifice mitral valve with two sets of valve leaflets was observed. Appreciation of this echocardiographic abnormality is important because double orifice mitral valve is associated with other congenital anomalies and this echocardiographic configuration may be confused with other cardiac abnormalities.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography in evaluating left ventricular function

In 65 patients examined by mechanical sector and M-mode echocardiography, left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction were determined. Comparison with biplane ventriculography has shown that the above-mentioned parameters can be determined by sector relatively very reliably. Correlation coefficients for end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were 0.74 and 0.85 respectively, for the ejection fraction 0.78. Substantially less close correlations were found for parameters obtained by one-dimensional echocardiography, especially in patients with segmental disturbances of kinetics and abnormal left ventricular geometry. The greatest contribution of this laborious and demanding method consists in the possibility of relatively reliable estimation of left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction by two-dimensional echocardiography also in these patients.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography in a cardiac intensive care unit

The increasing number of physicians competent to carry out emergency echocardiography, and the availability of high performance equipment, facilitated the development of this technique in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU). This paper reports our experience of 610 2D echocardiographic recordings performed on 319 patients admitted to the CCU. The quality of the recording was excellent or satisfactory in 67% of cases and mediocre in 30% of cases. In 11 patients (3%) the quality of the recording was too poor to obtain reliable data. In this group of patients, the apical 4-chamber and subcostal views seemed better than the apical 2-chamber and parasternal views. An echocardiographic diagnosis was made in 94% of cases. It contributed to the diagnostic process in 70% of cases. Of the patients studied, 54% were admitted for a recent myocardial infarction. Echocardiography was particularly useful in atypical forms or when the diagnosis was difficult. It was also helpful in detecting complications of recent myocardial infarction, the frequency of which was determined. With respect to other cardiovascular emergencies, echocardiography was determined. With respect to other cardiovascular emergencies, echocardiography was very useful in the diagnosis of dissection of the aorta, pericarditis and for assessing left ventricular function and the causal mechanism in cases of decompensated cardiac failure. The non invasive nature of the investigation allows repeated examination of the patient at the bedside and makes it a particularly valuable technique to monitor the evolution of acute cardiac conditions requiring admission to the Coronary Care Unit.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography in the quantification of severe mitral stenosis

The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of echocardiographic quantification of mitral valve opening area in severe mitral stenosis. 31 consecutive patients with severe mitral stenosis were studied with two-dimensional echocardiography before they had complete resection of the mitral valve. The valves were examined for calcifications by x-ray. Each specimen was tensionlessly suspended in a glass cylinder, with 10 to 15 l of warm water (37 degrees C) running through it until maximal opening of the valve. Then the valvular orifice was photographed for planimetry. Now the echocardiographic results were checked again to analyse the errors of the initial assessment. In 6 out of 31 patients the size of the valvular opening area could not be assessed echocardiographically due to poor echo quality. The mean mitral opening area of the specimens was 0.92 +/- 0.32 cm2. With 1.27 +/- 0.52 cm2, the results achieved by echocardiography reached a correlation of only r = 0.44. In 9 out of 25 patients the area was assessed precisely in terms of size and anatomy. The difference between the values calculated from the specimens and echocardiograms was below 0.5 cm2 in 19 out of 25 (76%) patients and below 1 cm2 in another 4 (16%) patients. A larger difference in two patients was due to incorrect beam direction. Otherwise, false results in 10 out of 25 patients were caused by multiple inner echoes and in 2 out of 25 patients by bright reflections due to calcifications. Although the echocardiographically assessed mitral valve opening area does not correlate with the real opening area, it is possible to distinguish in most patients between severe and mild stenosis. Furthermore the valvular opening area can be exactly determined up to 0.5 cm2 in 90 percent of patients, provided that the echo beam is correctly positioned.