Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: bedside diagnosis by intravenous contrast echocardiography.

Apical cardiomyopathy is rare in the West. The characteristic appearance on left ventriculography has been used to confirm the diagnosis of this condition; transthoracic echocardiography can also be useful in this regard. However, apical artifacts may obscure the typical appearance during echocardiography, and although the advent of tissue harmonic echocardiography has resulted in improved image quality, the technique still may be inadequate in the establishment of a diagnosis. We hypothesized that contrast echocardiography, which improves endocardial border delineation, may be the technique of choice for the diagnosis of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We report the case of a 40-year-old woman with Down syndrome who had chest pain. The electrocardiogram showed T-wave changes in the lateral precordial leads, but cardiac enzymes were normal. Tissue harmonic echocardiography showed apical akinesia. Intravenous contrast echocardiography, however, revealed typical features of hypertrophic apical cardiomyopathy. Thus contrast echocardiography may be used to establish the diagnosis of this condition.     

应用实时心肌造影超声心动图对心肌灌注的定量评价

目的 确定实时心肌灌注显像技术定量评价左心室各节段心肌灌注的可行性。方法 应用实时显像技术对10条麻醉犬采集左室乳头肌中段短轴观图像。机械指数(MI)分别调至0．1，0．2和0．4，帧速设为20Hz，Optison分别以0．1，0.2和0．5ml／min的速度静脉滴注。在2～3次多普勒诱导微泡破裂后立即记录150帧实时图像。用肉眼和定量两种方法评价左室6节段的心肌浊化程度(前间隔、后间隔、下壁、后壁、侧壁和前壁)。以心肌信号强度对应实时图像制作曲线并拟合指数函数Y=A(1-e^-βt)。结果 采用低MI(MI为0．1或0．2)并以0．2或0．5ml／min的速度静脉滴注Optison的方法，实时显像技术可以获得充分的心肌浊化和清晰的左室心内膜轮廓，并能同时显示心肌增厚率和室壁运动。结论 实时心肌灌注显像技术不仅能够定量评价心肌灌注，而且可以同时评价心肌功能。     

Quantitative assessment of left ventricular perfusion defects using real-time three-dimensional myocardial contrast echocardiography.

Quantitative assessment of perfusion defects with myocardial contrast echocardiography can be a valuable tool in the evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease. However, the use of 2-dimensional echocardiography for this purpose is limited to a restricted number of imaging planes. Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT3D) is a novel technique that provides instantaneous volumetric images. The aim of this study was to validate the use of RT3D for the quantitative assessment of myocardial perfusion defects in a model of acute coronary occlusion. To this end, 20 sheep underwent acute ligation of the left anterior descending (n = 14) or the posterior branch of the circumflex (n = 6) artery under general anesthesia. The RT3D images were obtained after left atrial injection of the contrast agent EchoGen (perflenapent emulsion; 0.8-1 mL). Evans blue dye was injected into the occluded coronary artery for subsequent anatomic identification of underperfused myocardium. The mass of the entire left ventricle and of the underperfused myocardial region were measured after death. Blinded off-line calculation of left ventricular (LV) mass and perfusion-defect mass from RT3D images were performed using an interactive aided-manual tracing technique. Total LV mass ranged from 68 to 141 g (mean plus minus SD: 92 +/- 24 g). The mass of the perfusion defect ranged from 0 to 43 g (mean +/- SD: 16 +/- 9 g) or 0 to 36% of total LV mass (mean +/- SD: 18% +/- 9%). The RT3D estimation of total LV mass strongly correlated with the anatomic measurement (r = 0.91; y = -2.54 + 1.04x; standard error of the estimate [SEE] = 11.9 g). The RT3D calculation of the mass of underperfused myocardium also strongly correlated with the anatomic measurement, both in absolute terms (r = 0.96; y = 2.01 + 0.87x; SEE = 2.2 g) and when expressed as percentage of total LV mass (r = 0.96; y = 0.11 + 1.02x; SEE = 2.8%). Hence, RT3D with myocardial contrast opacification accurately predicts the amount of underperfused myocardium in an animal model of acute coronary occlusion. This technique may therefore be useful for the quantitative assessment of myocardial perfusion defects in patients with coronary artery disease.     

Delineation of intracardiac shunts using contrast echocardiography.

Contrast echocardiography is useful to visualize the endocardial borders of the left ventricle and improve the signal intensity of spectral Doppler signals. It can also help to define intracardiac flow dynamics in complex situations. We report 2 cases where contrast echocardiography improved the delineation of complex shunts and also provided new information not available by conventional echocardiography.     

低能量实时心肌超声造影定量评价急性心肌梗死

目的探讨低能量实时心肌超声造影在定量评价急性心肌梗死中的应用价值。方法将9只雄性杂种犬开胸后结扎前降支及其侧支制备急性心肌梗死模型,然后于结扎后即刻和结扎后60min连续静脉泵入SonoVue悬溶液,并采用对比脉冲顺序(CPS)成像技术行低能量实时心肌超声造影,采集左心室短轴切面图像,定量分析前降支和回旋支供血区的灌注曲线,并计算峰值强度(A)、曲线斜率(β)和灌注量(A·β)。结果结扎前A值在前降支供血区低于回旋支供血区(P<0.05),β和A·β不随部位变化。前降支结扎后即刻β和A·β均明显降低(P<0.01),结扎60min后β值可部分恢复,A·β仍明显低于结扎前(P<0.01);回旋支供血区灌注强度参数结扎前后差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论低能量实时心肌超声造影评价心肌灌注能够获得较好的定量效果,其中β和A·β可以用来定量评估心肌缺血。     

超声心动图在心尖肥厚型心肌病诊断和随访中的应用价值

目的 探讨超声心动图在心尖肥厚型心肌病的诊断和随访中的应用价值.方法 对超声心动图诊断的10例心尖肥厚型心肌病患者进行2年的随访.结果 10例患者的心尖部心肌明显增厚16～33 mm,平均22.8mm,随访期间仅偶有胸痛、胸闷及心悸,未出现恶性心律失常或心肌梗死.结论 超声心动图在心尖肥厚型心肌病诊断和随访中有重要的临床应用价值.     

心电图和心脏超声心动图对心尖肥厚型心肌病诊断价值的相关性分析

目的：回顾性分析心尖肥厚型心肌病（AHCM）患者心电图和超声心动图特点,了解两者的关联性,探讨两者在AHCM中的诊断价值。方法：对62例AHCM患者（AHCM组）与27名无器质性心脏病的健康体检者（健康对照组）的超声心动图和心电图资料进行回顾性分析,并对AHCM组患者的心电图和超声心动图进行相关性分析。结果：AHCM组患者心电图主要表现为胸前导联巨大倒置的T波伴ST段下移,左室高电压。超声心动图有不同程度的心尖部肥厚,心尖部心腔明显变小。心电图和超声心动图指标具有相关性：R波最大波幅与心尖心肌厚度、左室后壁厚度呈正相关,ST段压低深度与心尖部室壁厚度无相关性,与心尖心肌厚度呈负相关,T波倒置深度与心尖部厚度呈负相关。结论：心电图及超声心动图对诊断AHCM具有重要价值,心电图和超声心动图中的许多异常指标具有相关性,两者结合可提高本病诊断率。     

Visualization of coronary arteries using intravenous contrast agent and real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography is a recently developed imaging technique that provides unique information on spatial geometry in real time. We described an asymptomatic patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy for whom 3-dimensional echocardiography was performed after intravenous injection of perfluorocarbon-filled microbubbles. It resulted in enhancement of the left ventricular endocardial border delineation and myocardial perfusion in the hypertrophic septum. A clear visualization of the entire course of the left anterior descending coronary artery and its septal perforator branches was obtained. This case illustrates the potential of real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography to improve the anatomic evaluation of coronary arteries, especially when combined with contrast agents.     

Quantitative evaluation of local myocardial blood volume in contrast echocardiography

Myocardial perfusion is usually assessed by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging. Information about myocardial perfusion is sometimes deduced from angiography or Computed Tomography (CT) angiography, which detect coronary artery stenosis. Contrast echocardiography can be used for that purpose as well. However, the currently available data acquisition and analysis methods are difficult to manage in the clinical environment. This paper presents a novel contrast echo data acquisition protocol and parameter extraction procedure, providing an automatic quantitative evaluation of the local myocardial blood volume for the entire left ventricular myocardium. This information is indicative of local perfusion. Our method evaluates the myocardial blood volume according to the local gray level intensity, as measured during a single heartbeat, when there is a distinct myocardial opacification (based on visual estimation). The echocardiographic image analysis is based on a new attenuation correction technique, which compensates for the ultrasonic signal attenuation in both the tissue and the contrast agent. In comparison, the existing contrast echo based methods utilize the long-term temporal variability of the gray level to extract information regarding the local myocardial blood flow velocity. Our technique has been tested on 17 cine-loops of 15 different patients. We have found a high correlation between abnormal segments, detected automatically by our technique, and segments that have been clinically diagnosed as ischemic (at rest) or infarcted. For that purpose, we have defined ischemic segments as segments fed by coronary arteries with severe stenosis, as determined by angiography, and infarcted segments as segments after Acute Myocardial Infarction, as detected by electrocardiography. Furthermore, we have found a high correlation between the automatically calculated myocardial blood volume levels and the clinical evaluation of segmental contractility, based on echocardiographic imaging.     

心尖顶角与射血速度诊断心尖肥厚型心肌病的应用价值

目的 探讨心尖局部形态与动力学特征对于诊断心尖肥厚型心肌病（AHCM）的应用价值。方法 选择51例AHCM，包括21例早期AHCM（P-AHCM组）和30例典型AHCM（T-AHCM组）；以40名健康志愿者（NC组）及44例单纯高血压左心室重构患者（HT组）作为对照，超声观察舒张末期和收缩末期心尖顶角（θ_ap）及其收缩期变化率（△θ_ap）、收缩期心尖峰值射血速度（V_ap）及其与左心室流出道射血速度的比值（速度指数V_ap/V_LVOT）等。结果 相比NC组及HT组，P-AHCM组和T-AHCM组θ_ap均变小（P均<0.001），△θ_ap、V_ap增大（P均<0.001）。结论 超声心动图可于早期阶段检出AHCM所致心尖顶角减小、局部射血速度及收缩期角度变化率增高，结合特异性心电图改变有望提高超声对AHCM的检出率。     

三维超声心动图定量评价扩张型心肌病左心室舒张功能

目的 探讨三维超声心动图(3DE)定量评价扩张型心肌病(DCM)左心室舒张功能的可行性.方法 对30例DCM患者(DCM组)和30名正常人(对照组)进行超声心动图检测,测量左心室舒张末期容积(EDV)、左心室收缩末期容积(ESV)和每搏输出量(SV)及射血分数(EF),并计算左心室舒张期前1/3充盈分数(1/3FF);分析1/3FF与E/E的相关性.结果 DCM组EDV、ESV、SV及E/E显著高于对照组(P均＜0.05);DCM组EF及1/3FF显著低于对照组(P均＜0.05);两组的1/3FF与E/E均呈显著负相关(r=-0.81、-0.81,P均＜0.05).结论 3DE能定量评价DCM左心室舒张功能,可作为临床评价左心室舒张功能的一种新方法.     

Localization of a coronary artery fistula using contrast transesophageal echocardiography.

With the increasing use of transesophageal and other cardiac imaging, coronary fistulas are being discovered more often. The clinical significance of these communications is unclear. Microbubble echo-contrast has been used to enhance endocardial definition, myocardial perfusion, and augment Doppler signals. This case describes the use of microbubbles to enhance the color Doppler signals to better define location and extent of a coronary artery fistula communicating with the left ventricle.     

心尖肥厚型心肌病的超声诊断

目的探讨心尖肥厚型心肌病的超声应用价值方法对2008~2012年就诊我院的23例心尖肥厚型心肌病患者的超声心动图特征结合心电图资料分析并随访。结果23例患者的左室心尖部肥厚,心腔缩小甚至闭塞。心电图表现均异常,典型表现为胸前导联巨大T波倒置。随访期间4例出现心尖肥厚型心肌病相关心血管事件,未出现心源性猝死。结论超声心动图是诊断心尖肥厚型心肌病的主要方法,具有重要临床价值。     

超声造影定量分析可评估冠状动脉的狭窄程度

目的  探讨超声造影定量分析与冠状动脉狭窄程度的相关性,评价其对冠心病狭窄程度的预测价值。方法  连续性纳入我院门诊怀疑冠心病的患者35例,接受心肌声学造影检查后行冠状动脉造影和/或冠状动脉CT血管成像,按冠状动脉造影和/或冠状动脉CT血管成像结果将其分为冠心病组（冠脉狭窄≥75%,n=20）和对照组（冠脉狭窄<75%,n=15）,比较两组的临床指标和二维超声;另按冠脉支数测量超声造影定量参数,绘制ROC曲线评价造影参数预测冠状动脉狭窄≥75%的敏感度和特异性。结果  与对照组相比,冠心组高血压、吸烟史比率更高（50.00% vs 13.33 %、65.00% vs 26.67%,P<0.05）,二维超声提示节段性室壁运动异常发生率高（90.00% vs 46.67%,P<0.05）。超声造影结果示,两组间心肌峰值强度、曲线下面积的差异均有统计学意义（P<0.001）。ROC曲线分析显示,心肌峰值强度、曲线下面积预测冠脉狭窄程度≥75%的预警值为5.91 dB（敏感度、特异性分别为97.8%、95.2%）和28.94 dB sec（敏感度、特异性分别为66.7%、74.8%）。结论  超声造影定量分析无创、简便,适合长期随访,可较为准确地评估心肌缺血,有助于临床判断冠脉狭窄程度和指导后续治疗。     

Evaluation of apical pouches in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using cardiac MRI

The presence of apical pouches in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) may portend poor prognosis. We sought to study if the use cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) improves the detection of apical pouches in HCM compared to echocardiography. A retrospective review was performed of all consecutive HCM patients with an apical pouch identified by CMR at Mayo Clinic from May 2004 to Sept 2011. Clinical data was abstracted and CMR and echocardiographic images were analyzed. There were 56 consecutive HCM patients with an apical pouch identified by CMR. The predominant morphological type was apical in 41 (73.2 %), followed by sigmoid in 6 (10.7 %), reversed curve in 6 (10.7 %) and neutral in 3 (5.4 %). Obstructive physiology or systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve leaflet was evident in 23 (41.1 %). Late gadolinium enhancement was present in 47 (87.0 %) patients. Apical pouches were detected in only 18 (32.1 %) patients on echocardiography. Even when intravenous contrast was used (29/56 patients), in 16/29 (55.2 %) pouches were missed on echocardiography. Pouch length and neck dimensions in systole and diastole, measured on CMR, were larger among those patients in whom pouches were detected on echocardiography suggesting only larger pouches can be identified on echocardiography. In the largest CMR series to date of apical pouches in HCM, we show that while apical pouches are most commonly seen in apical HCM, they can be found in other phenotypic variants. CMR is better suited for the evaluation of apical pouches compared to echocardiography even with the use of intravenous contrast. CMR is likely a better tool for evaluating the cardiac apical structures including apical pouches when clinically indicated.     

靶向超声微泡造影剂对犬缺血再灌注心肌的延迟显像研究

目的用自制的靶向超声微泡造影剂,实现无创性地评价犬心肌缺血再灌注(I-R)的范围及严重程度.方法将本研究所自行研制的表面活性剂类超声造影剂--"表活显"表面,结合上磷脂酰丝氨酸(PS),制备成具有靶向性的造影剂(MB-PS),用MB-PS对犬I-R模型在实时心脏超声造影条件下进行延迟心肌显像,实验结束后,心肌经0.5%伊文思蓝(Evens)和1%氯化三苯四氮唑(TTC)染色,确定缺血及坏死心肌范围,并与延迟心脏超声造影显像结果比较其一致性.结果细胞流式术(FC)证明了PS结合在造影剂微泡的表面,延迟心肌显像表明缺血再灌注区的造影剂回声较正常区的回声明显增强,与病理染色结果基本一致.结论缺血损伤再灌注后,心肌缺血部位的造影剂回声较其余部位正常心肌的造影剂回声明显增强,正是因为 MB-PS聚集并停留在缺血-再灌注区,才使得超声可以发现微泡的回声,从而得以无创性地评价炎症发生的部位及其严重程度.