原位心脏移植肺动脉压及右心功能的彩色多普勒超声评价

目的 探讨终末期扩张型心肌病病人心脏移植术前和术后早期肺动脉压和右心功能的临床意义。方法 近2年6例心脏移植病人,术前和术后3～7d用彩色多普勒超声测量右心室前后径、右心室射血分数、肺动脉收缩压与舒张压、心包积液和三尖瓣反流程度。回顾分析术前肺动脉压和右心功能对术后早期右心功能和肺动脉压的影响。结果 术前肺动脉高压病人右心室前后径增加（r=0.8227,n=6）,右心室射血分数减少（r=-0.7361,n=6）。肺动脉压升高是引起右心扩大和衰竭的重要因素;术前肺动脉高压患者术后有明显下降,但仍处于高值;术前肺动脉压与术后右心室和肺动脉径和右心室射血分数改变不显著;术后三尖瓣反流和心包积液与术前和术后肺动脉压有关。结论 手术前后应用彩色多普勒超声评估肺动脉压对心脏移植术前受体选择和早期术后恢复具有重要的临床意义。彩色多普勒超声测量肺动脉压和右心功能简便易行,重复性较好。     

Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography in diagnosis of right ventricular pseudoaneurysm after pacemaker implantation

Right ventricular rupture is a critical cardiac complication associated with cardiac tamponade and death. Occasionally, the site of rupture may be contained by the parietal pericardium and thrombus, thus forming a pseudoaneurysm. Cases of traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the right ventricle have been reported. However, right ventricular pseudoaneurysm following pacemaker implantation has not been previously reported. This case demonstrates two right ventricular pseudoaneurysms following perforation of the right ventricular wall using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) after pacemaker implantation although only one definite pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed by routine two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE). We also found that color Doppler 3DE enhanced visualization of the connections between the right ventricle and the pseudoaneurysm. Color Doppler 3DE allowed us to peel away the myocardial tissue and rotate the image to study the jets from different angles. In summary, real-time 3DE and color Doppler 3DE provided excellent visualization of the right ventricular pseudoaneurysm, flow between the ventricle and the pseudoaneurysm, and additional information to that obtained by 2DE.     

Validation of Doppler-derived interventricular pressure gradients in patients with ventricular septal defect comparing with catheterization study]

To evaluate the accuracy of Doppler echocardiography for measuring the interventricular pressure gradient in patients with ventricular septal defect (VSD), Doppler echocardiography and dual catheters were performed simultaneously in 31 cases with VSD ranging from 9 to 40 years old. The systolic jet velocities through VSD were recorded by the continuous-wave Doppler technique and converted to the peak instantaneous pressure gradient (delta Pp) and the mean pressure gradient (delta Pm) using a modified Bernoulli's equation with the aid of computer system. Both left and right heart catheters were performed to record the left (LVSP) and the right (RVSP) ventricular systolic pressure simultaneously. Guided by the color flow image Doppler technique, the tip of the right heart catheter was carefully placed within the jet area of the right ventricle. The following parameters were measured from the ventricular pressure curves, the peak instantaneous pressure gradient (IPG), the peak to peak pressure gradient (PPG) and the mean pressure gradient (MPG). The comparison between delta Pp and PPG yielded an excellent correlation (r = 0.99, SEE = 0.69 kPa). There was a close agreement between delta Pp and IPG (r = 0.99, SEE = 0.64 kPa). However, the correlation between delta Pm and MPG was also high (r = 0.98, SEE = 0.67 kPa). We conclude that Doppler echocardiography offers a reliable technique for measuring the interventricular pressure gradient in patients with VSD.     

二尖瓣位机械瓣梗阻的彩色多普勒评价

目的评价彩色多普勒超声在诊断二尖瓣位机械瓣(单叶碟瓣)梗阻的价值。方法对比二尖瓣位机械瓣梗阻12例的彩色多普勒超声结果与手术所见。结果左心长轴切面和心尖四腔切面可较清晰地显示二尖瓣位机械瓣梗阻患者的瓣叶活动显著受限,瓣叶开放角度平均10°(0°-25°),彩色血流束呈单束或双束狭窄的边缘血流束,无瓣周漏及中度以上的瓣关闭不全,最大跨瓣血流速度及压差无显著改变:术中见12例瓣叶均被“卡”在近关闭状态位,开放角度小于300°,瓣周纤维肉芽组织增生伴血栓形成,瓣口狭小(0-0．5mm),其中4例瓣口及瓣周完全被血栓块“封堵”。结论彩色多普勒超声心动图显示机械瓣梗阻特征为瓣叶开放角度和幅度显著减小,瓣口呈边缘性狭窄血流束,与手术所见一致,但瓣口血流速度及压差指数等特异改变在彩色多普勒超声心动图不明显;虽然彩色多普勒超声心动图对异常增生组织和血栓的显示不清晰,但仍不失为诊断二尖瓣位机械瓣梗阻的简便有效的手段。     

Assessment of Coronary Artery Fistula by Color Doppler Echocardiography

Two patients with coronary artery fistula (CAF) were studied by color Doppler echocardiography, left coronary artery-right ventricle fistula in a child and right coronary artery-left ventricle fistula in an adult. Diagnosis was made by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and one adult by multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), respectively. The proximal dilated coronary artery, the course, and the drainage sites were demonstrated with color Doppler echocardiography in both patients.     

Doppler color flow mapping in the diagnosis of ventricular septal rupture and acute mitral regurgitation after myocardial infarction

Fifty consecutive patients with a newly acquired systolic murmur and severe cardiac decompensation following a recent myocardial infarction (27 with an anterior and 23 with an inferior infarct) were studied by a combination of two-dimensional echocardiography, spectral Doppler and Doppler color flow mapping. The initial ultrasound study defined a ventricular septal rupture in 43 patients and severe isolated mitral regurgitation in 7 patients (5 with papillary muscle rupture and 2 with severe papillary muscle dysfunction). All 50 patients had subsequent confirmation of the diagnosis by either cardiac catheterization or surgical inspection, or both. Two-dimensional echocardiography alone directly visualized a septal defect in only 17 (40%) of the 43 patients with ventricular septal rupture. In all 43 patients the mitral valve appeared normal on imaging. In six of the seven patients with isolated mitral regurgitation, two-dimensional echocardiography correctly demonstrated the structural abnormality of the mitral valve (five with flail anterior leaflet and one with posterior leaflet prolapse). The addition of Doppler color flow mapping greatly improved the diagnostic information in both patient groups. In all 43 patients with ventricular septal rupture, Doppler color flow mapping demonstrated both an area of turbulent transseptal flow and a diagnostic systolic flow disturbance within the right ventricle. In the seven patients with isolated papillary muscle rupture or dysfunction, Doppler color flow mapping not only demonstrated the presence of mitral regurgitation in all cases, but also identified the specific mitral leaflet abnormality by defining the direction of the regurgitant jet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Azygos and hemiazygos connections imaged by two-dimensional, and pulsed and color Doppler echocardiography

Identification of the azygos or hemiazygos connection is important in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease, especially in cases of the polysplenia syndrome. Although two-dimensional echocardiographic observation of this anomaly has been reported, the direct visualization of drainage sites is still rather difficult. A method for visualizing the azygos or hemiazygos connection by a combined use of two-dimensional and pulsed and color Doppler echocardiography was reported here. Subjects consisted of 10 patients with the polysplenia syndrome, each of whom had been confirmed as having the azygos or hemiazygos connection; five each of the azygos and hemiazygos types. The transducer was placed over the second intercostal space on the right side for the azygos, and on the left side for hemiazygos connection. The two-dimensional echocardiographic plane was adjusted to visualize the long-axis view of the superior vena cava; the right superior vena cava for the azygos and the left superior vena cava for the hemiazygos connection. The mode of the equipment was changed to color Doppler, and an orange-colored blood flow toward the transducer, draining into the superior vena cava was carefully sought. Finally the pulsed Doppler mode was selected and the sampling volume was set in the orange-colored area. The wave form of the pulsed Doppler echocardiogram of the azygos or hemiazygos vein potentially had two peaks per cardiac cycle, and was modified by respiration. We found azygos or hemiazygos veins coursing from the posterior aspect of the right pulmonary artery in seven of 10 cases by two-dimensional echocardiography alone, while we observed all veins by the additional use of color and pulsed Doppler echocardiography.     

Right ventricular diastolic dysfunction in arterial systemic hypertension: analysis by pulsed tissue Doppler.

AIMS: This study analyses right ventricular longitudinal function in arterial systemic hypertension by pulsed tissue Doppler. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty normotensives and 30 hypertensives, free of cardiac drugs, underwent standard Doppler echocardiography and pulsed tissue Doppler of right ventricular lateral tricuspid annulus and left ventricular lateral mitral annulus. By tissue Doppler, systolic and diastolic measurements were obtained. Hypertensives had higher left ventricular mass and impaired Doppler diastolic indexes, without changes of global systolic function. Tissue Doppler showed reduction of right ventricular E/A ratio and prolongation of relaxation time in comparison with controls (both P<0.00001). In the overall population, the length of tissue Doppler derived right ventricular relaxation time was positively related to right ventricular anterior wall thickness while right ventricular E/A ratio was positively related to E/A ratio of left ventricular mitral annulus (both P<0.00001). These relations remained significant even after adjusting for clinical and echocardiographic confounders by separate multivariate models. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial systemic hypertension is associated to right ventricular longitudinal diastolic dysfunction. This dysfunction involves the prolongation of active relaxation, which is independently associated with the degree of right ventricular hypertrophy and the impairment of passive wall properties, which is mainly due to ventricular interaction occurring under left ventricular pressure overload conditions.     

The value of Doppler color flow mapping in determining pulmonary blood supply in infants with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect

Thirty-two neonates and infants with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect were initially investigated with cross-sectional and spectral Doppler echocardiography and Doppler color flow mapping. All 32 had subsequent correlative angiography. This demonstrated that 24 infants had adequate-sized right and left pulmonary arteries (19 confluent, 5 nonconfluent). Of the five infants with nonconfluent pulmonary arteries, four had bilateral ductus arteriosus and one had a single left-sided ductus with anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta. Nineteen infants had confluent pulmonary arteries, all of which were supplied by a single ductus. Eight infants had complete absence of or inadequate pulmonary arteries; all had multiple aortopulmonary collateral vessels arising from the descending aorta. The presence of adequate-sized right and left pulmonary arteries was correctly predicted in 21 of 24 infants by cross-sectional echocardiography alone and in all 24 by Doppler color flow mapping. Confluence of the right and left pulmonary arteries was predicted by cross-sectional imaging in 14 of the 19 infants in whom it occurred, and by Doppler color flow mapping in all 19 infants. The precise definition of the pulmonary blood supply was correctly predicted by Doppler color flow mapping in 16 of the 19 infants with confluent pulmonary arteries and a single ductus. However, in three infants in this group, Doppler color flow mapping made a false diagnosis of multiple aortopulmonary collateral vessels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Range-gated pulsed Doppler echocardiographic diagnosis of supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage

Three patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (TAPVD) into the innominate vein were studied by using M-mode and pulsed Doppler echocardiography. An abnormal continuous flow towards the transducer in a suprasternal notch position detected by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in the left hemithorax leftward of the aortic echo is a sign of blood flow through the left vertical vein into the innominate vein. This finding is highly specific for TAPVD. High-velocity flow across the tricuspid valve, disturbed flow in the right pulmonary artery and abnormal flow in the left atrium are additional important pulsed Doppler echocardiographic findings in TAPVD. Right ventricular enlargement and paradoxical interventricular septal motion by M-mode echocardiography were not specific enough to distinguish TAPVD from other right ventricular volume overload lesions. An echo-free space posterior to the left atrium was not recorded.     

A sinus of Valsalva aneurysm ruptured into the right atrium secondary to aortic endocarditis. The usefulness of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography]

We present a case of a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm ruptured into right atrium secondary to aortic endocarditis. Early surgical procedure was indicated bases on transthoracic echocardiography. This technique demonstrated a abscess image enlarged into the right atrium and color Doppler showed a turbulent flow from aortic valve to right atrium. Cardiac surgery was performed with transesophageal echocardiography monitoring. This technique allowed anatomical and functional aortic valve evaluation and the abscess location and extension. This case shows the value of transthoracic and transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography in the diagnosis and management of patients with complications secondary to infective endocarditis.     

Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis and surgical management of right atrial myxoma

An asymptomatic patient was discovered to have a large right atrial myxoma by transthoracic echocardiography. Preoperative considerations included the possibility of satellite lesions, left atrial origin, and a question of tricuspid valve involvement. Subsequent operative transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated single-stalk attachment in the right atrial septal wall and no satellite lesions. Doppler and color flow examination immediately following tumor removal aided in the decision not to perform tricuspid annuloplasty as there was no significant tricuspid regurgitation. The combined use of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography with Doppler and color flow imaging aids in the preoperative and intraoperative diagnosis and surgical management of right atrial tumors.     

Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography in Identification of Aorto‐Right Atrial Fistula and Aorto‐Right Ventricular Fistulas

We report the case of a 72‐year‐old woman who developed new onset right ventricular failure after redo aortic valve replacement. The diagnosis of left to right shunt was initially made using two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2DTTE) and 2D transesophageal echo with color Doppler (TEE). Definite diagnosis of aorto‐right atrial and aorto‐right ventricular fistula was made using thee‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3DTTE) with color flow Doppler imaging. Early recognition and diagnosis of this rare surgical complication is imperative for prompt surgical repair of this lethal defect. 3DTTE should be utilized in cases of new onset heart failure with unclear etiology to diagnose unusual causes of this potentially fatal condition. (Echocardiography 2010;27:E105‐E108)     

彩色多普勒超声心动图诊断完全性大动脉转位

目的 探讨彩色多普勒超声早期诊断完全性大动脉转位的价值。方法 采用彩色超声检查完全性大动脉转位80例,按顺序分段法进行。结果 80例均显示主动脉在前,发自右心室,肺动脉在后,发自左心室,合并畸形包括VSD、ASD、PDA、PS等。其中2例手术病例及7例尸解病例与超声诊断相符。结论 超声心动图能准确诊断大动脉转位及伴随畸形,并提供部分血流动力学资料。     

彩色多普勒超声在Klippel-Trenaunay综合征和Parkes-Weber综合征诊断中的临床应用

目的:探讨彩色多普勒超声在Klippel-Trenaunay综合征(KTS)和Parkes-Weber综合征(PWS)患者的诊断和鉴别价值。方法:回顾性分析我院经临床和影像学检查确诊的65例KTS和PWS患者彩色多普勒超声检查资料,对其动静脉病变进行比较。结果:超声检查发现KTS和PWS皮肤的葡萄酒色血管痣或血管瘤62例(95.4%);患肢增粗、增长61例(93.8%),KTS表现为深静脉缺如或管径变细,内径明显小于同名动脉,流速较低;PWS以多发动静脉瘘为特征,深静脉可变细,近瘘口处血管相对较粗伴流速增高。KTS与PWS两组间股静脉流速差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),腘静脉流速差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),两组间大隐静脉流速及内径差异、股静脉和腘静脉内径差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:彩色超声检测对KTS和PWS的诊断和鉴别有较好的临床应用价值。     

Absence of the inferior vena cava in a patient with omphalocele: Two-dimensional echocardiographic and cineangiographic findings

Summary We report an unusual form of absence of the inferior vena cava (IVC) in a patient with a repaired omphalocele. Two sets of bilateral paravertebral veins served as the channels of systemic venous return from the lower half of the body. These veins were narrower than typical azygos or hemiazygos continuation in the absence of the IVC, with the result that a catheter from the femoral vein could not reach the right atrium (RA). Other associated venous-side anomalies were present, including a chamber between the hepatic vein (HV) and RA, narrowing and angulation at the junction between the HV and the chamber, and a subaortic innominate vein. All these anomalies were demonstrated by two-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiography. The recognition of these venous anomalies is important for cardiac catheterization or IVC cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with omphalocele.     

Usefulness of color Doppler in the diagnosis of ventricular septal rupture after myocardial infarction

Ten consecutive patients with ventricular septal rupture complicating acute myocardial infarction were studied by means of Doppler echocardiography (including two-dimensional, conventional and color Doppler techniques) and bedside right heart catheterization using a Swan-Ganz catheter. One patient died before an operation could be performed. Seven critically ill patients underwent emergency cardiac surgery without preoperative cardiac catheterization, while in two patients it was also possible to undertake coronary angiography before surgery. Two-dimensional echocardiography diagnosed post-infarction ventricular septal rupture in 6 out of 10 patients. Color Doppler revealed the presence and the location of septal rupture in all 10 patients. The color Doppler diagnosis was confirmed either by surgery or necropsy. The estimates of pulmonary artery pressure, obtained by color Doppler-guided continuous wave Doppler beam, were very close to those measured by simultaneous right heart catheterization. In 3 patients, patch leakage occurred 3 days, 15 days and 1 year after the operation. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed the patch leakage in only one of 3 patients while its location was visualized by color Doppler in all 3 patients. In one patient the color Doppler diagnosis was confirmed at necropsy. In the remaining 2 patients, a small left-to-right shunt was demonstrated by radionuclide studies. Color Doppler echocardiography is a highly sensitive and rapid technique in the diagnosis of postinfarction ventricular septal rupture. In critically ill patients it offers relevant information and may obviate the need for any invasive preoperate investigation.     

Tissue Doppler imaging in the evaluation of the left and right ventricular diastolic functions in rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have reported that cardiovascular involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs frequently. Although ventricular functions of RA have been investigated through the standard Doppler in RA, they have yet to be investigated thoroughly by means of the relatively new and advantageous tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). The present study aims to investigate left and right ventricular functions in RA patients by means of TDI and standard Doppler echocardiography. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with longstanding RA and 40 control subjects were included in the study and their left and right ventricular functions were assessed by standard pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography, the color M-mode flow propagation velocity, and TDI. The left ventricular TDI was achieved at four different sites (lateral, septal, anterior, and inferior walls), while the right ventricular TDI was achieved through the tricuspid lateral annulus. RESULTS: When compared with controls, the RA group showed that basal clinic and echocardiographic parameters, early (E) and late (A) diastolic velocities of atrioventricular valves, E/A ratio, and pulmonary venous Doppler parameters of these two groups were similar. It was determined that left and right ventricular E-wave deceleration times and isovolumic relaxation times of the RA patients were determined to have increased in comparison with those of the subjects in the healthy Control Group (P < 0.05). RA patients had significantly lower color M-mode flow propagation velocity (P < 0.05). While S' peak and E' peak, two of the left and right ventricular TDI parameters, were similar in both groups, A' peak, E'/A', and E/E' parameters in RA showed statistically significant differences in RA patients. CONCLUSION: A comparison between age and sex of RA patients and healthy individuals revealed that left and right ventricular TDI parameters of RA patients were impaired, which led us to conclude that both of the ventricles could have been involved.     

Involvement of right ventricle in left ventricular hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: analysis by pulsed Doppler tissue imaging.

AIMS: This study uses pulsed Doppler tissue imaging to analyse right ventricular myocardial function and its interaction with left ventricle in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy involving ventricular septum. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with septal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and 30 normal subjects, comparable for sex, age, body mass index and heart rate, underwent complete standard Doppler echocardiography and pulsed Doppler tissue imaging of both posterior septum and right ventricular free wall, calculating myocardial velocities and both systolic and diastolic time intervals. Except for peak velocity A, the other Doppler tricuspid inflow measurements were significantly impaired in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, without changes of tricuspid annular systolic excursion. Right ventricular Doppler tissue imaging showed longer right ventricular myocardial relaxation time in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy than in controls (P<0.00001), without a significant difference from other myocardial diastolic and systolic measurements. In the overall population, Doppler measurements of right and left ventricular inflow were not significantly associated, while (with the exception of myocardial deceleration time) all the other myocardial systolic and diastolic measurements derived by tissue imaging were directly related to the homologous septal myocardial indexes. In addition, a significant inverse relation was found between septal wall thickness and myocardial relaxation index (right-left myocardial relaxation time/right ventricular relaxation time x 100). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the usefulness of pulsed Doppler tissue imaging to detect impairment of right ventricular myocardial function and to provide evidence about ventricular interaction in forms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which involve interventricular septum.     

彩色多普勒超声在诊断主动脉窦瘤破裂中的应用

目的:探讨经胸及经食道彩色多普勒超声心动图在诊断主动脉窦瘤破裂的应用价值。方法:用彩色多普勒超声心动图检查有级以上心脏杂音,诊断为主动脉窦瘤破裂合并室间隔缺损(VSD)及主动脉瓣关闭不全的患者,共16例。结果:16例主动脉窦瘤破裂患者中,右冠窦瘤破裂13例,无冠窦瘤破裂3例,合并室间隔缺损9例,合并主动脉瓣脱垂3例,合并肺动脉瓣狭窄及动脉导管未闭各1例。结论:彩色多普勒超声心动图可以直观地显示主动脉窦瘤的有无及其破裂口的大小和数目,还可以对主动脉窦瘤破裂合并心脏畸形的类型作出诊断,很有意义。