Diltiazem reverses tissue Doppler velocity abnormalities in pre-clinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in systolic and diastolic function shown by tissue Doppler imaging have been shown to be present in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who do not yet show clinical or echocardiographic evidence of the disease. These become more marked as left ventricular hypertrophy develops. We attempted to show that these abnormalities could be reversed by treatment with diltiazem. METHODS AND RESULTS: Six adults, who were carriers of a mutation involving the cardiac myosin binding, protein-C gene and who did not show clinical electrocardiographic or echocardiographic evidence of the disease were given a dose of 240mg of diltiazem daily. Tissue Doppler peak systolic and early diastolic velocities at the lateral mitral annulus were examined before treatment and at a mean of 8 weeks after starting treatment. Improvement in both parameters occurred with early diastolic velocities returning to normal and most systolic velocities also becoming normal. CONCLUSION: Diltiazem may have a role in helping to prevent abnormalities of function and perhaps the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with pre-clinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.     

Screening for pre-clinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by tissue Doppler imaging

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder. On a routine clinical basis, genetic analysis is both time consuming and impractical at present. Thus, use of tissue Doppler imaging as a surrogate for genetic screening is an attractive option. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-five first-degree relatives of 15 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were screened. Of them, two were found to have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and were included in Group 1, which hence had 17 patients with overt hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Group 2 had 53 family members who did not manifest any overt echocardiographic abnormality. Twenty healthy volunteers comprised Group 3. Doppler tissue myocardial longitudinal velocities were measured in systole and early diastole and with atrial contraction at the medial mitral annulus, lateral mitral annulus, mid lateral wall and mid interventricular septum. The tissue Doppler characteristics were analyzed for the presence of abnormalities suggestive of subclinical myocardial involvement. Myocardial velocities were highest in the normal control group and lowest in the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy group. The velocities of the relatives without overt hypertrophy were intermediate in range. Of the 53 relatives screened, nine (17%) subjects showed tissue Doppler abnormality in the systolic and early diastolic velocities at the medial and lateral mitral annulus suggestive of a possibility of pre-clinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and a carrier state for a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Twenty-two of the 53 screened members had a mean early diastolic velocity less than 13.5 cm/s, among this group 9 had an ejection fraction more than 68%. These findings suggest that at least 16.7% of the screened population may carry beta-myosin heavy chain mutation. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is feasible and tissue Doppler imaging is a sensitive and easy means to detect subclinical myocardial involvement in apparently normal family members without overt hypertrophy.     

Tissue Doppler imaging for the evaluation of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To discuss the role of tissue Doppler imaging for assessing regional myocardial function in patients with proven or suspected hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and review its application in clinical practice for diagnosis, estimation of filling pressures, and monitoring of treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have very abnormal systolic and diastolic myocardial function, even if global systolic function of the left ventricle appears normal. Regional function is most abnormal in walls that are markedly hypertrophied, but it is also abnormal in segments that are not affected by hypertrophy, and it is depressed in patients who have a mutation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy but have not yet developed clear phenotypic changes. Genetic diagnosis remains difficult especially in sporadic cases, due to the very large number of mutations that have been identified; the hypertrophy may represent a nonspecific compensatory response to any mutation that impairs myofibrillar function. Subclinical changes especially affect long-axis ventricular function, and tissue Doppler imaging is the most sensitive test to identify reduced velocities of long-axis shortening and early diastolic lengthening of the left ventricle, prolonged contraction and relaxation times, and reduced strain in affected segments, both in patients with hypertrophy and in asymptomatic subjects with mutations. It can also discriminate well between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and athlete's heart, and can be used with standard echocardiographic measurements to estimate left ventricular filling pressure or to monitor treatment. SUMMARY: Tissue Doppler imaging can now be usefully incorporated into the routine echocardiographic study of patients with proven or suspected hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.     

Tissue Doppler imaging in Fabry disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The development of effective enzyme replacement/enhancement therapy makes of clinical relevance considering Fabry disease in the differential diagnosis of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In particular the opportunity to significantly modify the clinical progression of the disease has reinforced the need for early diagnosis of Fabry cardiomyopathy. RECENT FINDINGS: The study with tissue Doppler of Fabry patients with endomyocardial biopsy-proven cardiac involvement showed a reduction of both diastolic and systolic myocardial velocities recorded at septal and lateral corners of mitral annulus. Tissue Doppler abnormalities were present not only in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy but also in younger patients with normal cardiac wall thickness and represent the first sign of myocardial damage. Furthermore tissue Doppler studies have been shown useful in detecting cardiac involvement in female carriers with no systemic manifestations of Fabry disease. In patients already submitted to enzyme-replacement therapy tissue Doppler and strain rate imaging represent useful noninvasive tools in assessing treatment efficacy. SUMMARY: Tissue Doppler imaging can provide early detection of cardiac involvement in Fabry disease and represents the most accurate and sensitive noninvasive tool for the diagnosis of myocardial dysfunction and for the assessment of cardiac improvement during enzyme replacement therapy. The detection of tissue Doppler abnormalities in female carriers may represent a hint for an invasive assessment of cardiac involvement.     

Left ventricular filling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a pulsed Doppler echocardiographic study

Abnormal left ventricular diastolic properties have been described in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. To evaluate the diastolic filling characteristics of the left ventricle in patients with this disease, pulsed Doppler echocardiography was used to study mitral flow velocity in 17 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (11 with and 6 without systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve) and 16 age-matched normal subjects. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with and without systolic anterior motion with regard to ventricular septal thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricular internal dimensions or the extent of hypertrophy evaluated by two-dimensional echocardiography. Mitral regurgitation was detected by Doppler echocardiography in all 11 patients with and in 2 (33%) of the 6 patients without systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve. Early and late diastolic peak flow velocity, the ratio of late to early diastolic peak flow velocity and deceleration of early diastolic flow were measured from Doppler mitral flow velocity recordings. There were no statistically significant differences in these four indexes between the patients with systolic anterior motion and normal subjects. In contrast, the patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy without systolic anterior motion showed lower early diastolic peak flow velocity, higher ratio of late to early diastolic peak flow velocity and lower deceleration of early diastolic flow compared with the patients with systolic anterior motion and normal subjects, suggesting impaired left ventricular diastolic filling.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evaluation of mid-ventricular obstruction of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by real-time two-dimensional Doppler flow imaging: a case report

Mid-ventricular obstruction was evaluated in a case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using a real-time two-dimensional Doppler flow imaging system. A 60-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of oppressive precordial sensation., I-mode echocardiography showed asymmetric septal hypertrophy: thickness of the end-diastolic left ventricular posterior wall was 9 mm, and that of the interventricular septum was 19 mm. However, there was no systolic anterior motion of the mitral apparatus. Doppler color flow imaging showed a mid-left ventricular narrowing in late-systole and a mosaic pattern was depicted from the mid-ventricle to the outflow tract. Continuous wave Doppler echocardiography disclosed a peak velocity of 2.0 m/sec (pressure gradient (PG) = 16 mmHg). In the right ventricular outflow tract, a mosaic pattern was also seen and a peak velocity of 1.5 m/sec was detected (PG = 9 mmHg). These results were nearly identical with the data measured by cardiac catheterization. Thus, it was concluded that intraventricular obstruction of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is diagnosed by observing the flow image and flow velocities in the ventricle using a real-time two-dimensional Doppler flow imaging system.     

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.     

少见类型肥厚型心肌病的超声心动图诊断与鉴别诊断

分析少见类型肥厚型心肌病患者的超声心动图特点 ,提高超声心动图对该病诊断的准确性。利用Acuson12 8XP10彩色电脑声像仪分析了 38例经临床及超声心动图诊断为肥厚型心肌病患者的有关资料 ,采取二维超声心动图多切面、多角度观测室间隔、游离壁厚度和活动幅度以及二尖瓣活动特点 ;M型超声心动图Ⅱa区、Ⅳ区测量房室腔内径及室壁厚度 ;多普勒超声心动图记录左室流出道血流速度、二尖瓣频谱形态及二尖瓣返流速度。 38例肥厚型心肌病患者中 ,以Ⅲ型最为多见 ,占 4 5%。少见类型中心尖肥厚型 2例 ,心尖最厚达 33mm ;后下壁及下间隔肥厚型各 1例 ;对称型肥厚者 2例 ;高血压合并肥厚型心肌病者 2例。肥厚型心肌病的肥厚心肌分布比较复杂 ,少见类型肥厚型心肌病的诊断更应注意多切面、多角度进行探查 ,避免漏诊及误诊。     

An evaluation of two-dimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Various anatomical and functional features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are analyzed in view of the data provided by two-dimensional echocardiography. Measurement of septal thickness is crucial, and is best done by a combination of M-Mode and 2-D echo. Two types of systolic anterior movement of the mitral valve (SAM) are observed and are related to the degree of subvalvular gradient. The specificity of these patterns of SAM is analyzed. The functional anatomy of the mitral valve in relation to the presence and degree of mitral regurgitation shows that although the presence and type of SAM are important, there are other causes of mitral regurgitation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy unrelated to SAM. We emphasize the fact the 2-D echo cannot "diagnose" hypertrophic cardiomyopathy except when cardiac hypertrophy plus SAM involving the body of the mitral valve is seen; in the remaining cases, 2-D echo confirms/suggests the clinical diagnosis.     

Tissue Doppler imaging for predicting outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Tissue Doppler imaging is being increasingly used for assessing global ventricular function in systole and diastole, and for quantifying regional wall motion abnormalities both in systolic heart failure with mechanical dyssynchrony and ischemic heart disease. Its use as a predictive tool is recent and the authors review publications relating to this aspect. RECENT FINDINGS: Peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity is a powerful predictor of outcome in a variety of cardiovascular conditions and adds incremental value to clinical parameters and standard mitral Doppler inflow velocities. Tissue Doppler imaging can also predict the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in asymptomatic individuals carrying the genetic mutation even before the onset of overt left ventricular hypertrophy. In addition, the standard deviation of the time to peak systolic velocity is a good marker of mechanical asynchrony and can predict reverse remodeling. It may also be useful in identifying individuals with ischemic heart disease and regional wall motion abnormalities who have an adverse outcome. SUMMARY: Tissue Doppler imaging is a powerful new echocardiographic tool that is now becoming the standard for assessing ventricular function in a variety of situations and diseases.     

Stellenwert des Gewebe-Dopplers in der Frühdiagnostik von Kardiomyopathien

Tissue Doppler and its derived parameters strain and strain rate show characteristic changes in patients with cardiomyopathy. Longitudinal systolic (S) and early diastolic (E') peak tissue velocities are reduced in the basal segments of the left ventricle in patients with dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive cardiomyopathies, and in the right ventricular free wall in patients with arrhythmogenic dysplasia of the right ventricle. Similarly, strain and strain rate are lower than in normals. These changes are detectable in asymptomatic, genetically affected patients and in early stages of cardiomyopathy, where conventional echo signs such as impaired left ventricular ejection fraction or increased wall thickness are not yet present. Thus, tissue Doppler analysis may contribute to better identifying carriers of disease and subclinical early stages of cardiomyopathy. However, lack of measurement standardization and small numbers of cardiomyopathy patients examined by Doppler, together with difficulty in defining reliable normalcy ranges, still hamper widespread clinical use of this new tool.     

Tissue Doppler imaging and long axis left ventricular function: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy versus athlete's heart.

BACKGROUND: The different diagnosis between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and athlete's heart has important clinical implications. The assessment of long axis left ventricular function with tissue Doppler imaging in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (showing systolic and diastolic dysfunction with heterogeneity and asynchrony), may be useful in the differentiation of these situations. AIM: To study, with tissue Doppler imaging, long axis left ventricular function in a population of athletes (rowers) and to compare it with a population of non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients. METHODS: In 24 patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in 20 competitive rowers with similar age, blood pressure and heart rate, we analyzed mitral annulus motion with pulsed tissue Doppler imaging in the 4 sides of the annulus (septal, lateral, inferior, anterior), in apical views. In each wave (systolic, rapid filling and atrial contraction) we measured velocities, time intervals and velocity-time integrals, and calculated heterogeneity and asynchrony indices. Data were compared between the groups, between the different sides in each group ("parallel analysis") and with conventional indices of global function. RESULTS: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients showed: systolic function: lower velocities and integrals, shorter ejection time and shorter systolic time. These abnormalities occurred even in annular sites contiguous to walls without hypertrophy. DIASTOLIC FUNCTION: Much lower rapid filling velocities and integrals, lower atrial contraction velocities and integrals, lower e/a, longer isovolumic relaxation time and time to peak rapid filling wave. These abnormalities occurred even in annular sites adjacent to walls without hypertrophy. In the athletes group, the e/a ratio was never < 1, in any annular site. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients this ratio was < 1 in 27% of the sites. CONCLUSIONS: 1--Systolic and diastolic long axis left ventricular function is different in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in athletes, in all mitral annulus sides. 2--The presence of these abnormalities in annular sites contiguous to walls without hypertrophy suggests that this technique may be useful in the differential diagnosis between these groups, particularly in the "gray zone" of Maron.     

Transthoracic Doppler echocardiographic analysis of phasic coronary blood flow velocity in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To use transthoracic Doppler echocardiography to assess coronary blood flow non-invasively in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. DESIGN: High frequency transthoracic Doppler echocardiography was used to assess resting phasic coronary velocity patterns in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and to define the relation between coronary flow patterns and clinical, echocardiographic, and haemodynamic manifestations of this condition. SETTING: A tertiary referral cardiothoracic centre. METHODS: Fifteen patients (10 men and five women, mean (SD) age 49 (10.3) years) with asymmetric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy underwent high frequency (5 MHz) transthoracic Doppler echocardiographic assessment of the left anterior descending coronary artery. In addition, standard two dimensional echocardiography was performed. The results were compared with 16 normal participants (nine men and seven women, mean age 61.2 (10.7) years) who had no evidence of cardiac disease. RESULTS: Biphasic diastolic predominant coronary artery blood velocity profiles were obtained in all patients and controls. Systolic peak blood velocity and velocity time integral were significantly reduced in the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy group compared with controls (11.3 (15.8) cm/s and 1.09 (1.78) cm v 20.5 (13.1) cm/s and 4.23 (2.80) cm, respectively, P < 0.05). A reversed pattern of systolic blood flow velocity was found in three patients with severe anterior wall and septal hypertrophy. During diastole there was prolongation of the diastolic acceleration (203 (53) ms v 110 (60) ms in controls, P < 0.05) and deceleration times (487 (200) ms v 210 (90) ms in controls, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between those with and without symptoms or a left ventricular outflow tract gradient. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have abnormal systolic and diastolic coronary flow profiles at rest when measured by transthoracic echocardiography.     

Morphological quantification and differentiation of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hypertensive heart disease. A two dimensional echocardiographic study

Differentiation between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hypertensive heart disease is a diagnostic challenge. M-mode echocardiography only permits assessment of hypertrophy in limited areas of the left ventricular wall. 2-D echocardiography allows visualization of most of the myocardium. To assess the reliability of conventional M-mode echocardiographic and 2-D echocardiographic criteria in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and hypertensive heart disease (HY), 30 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and 30 patients with hypertension and severe cardiac hypertrophy were examined using M-mode and 2-D echocardiography. Although the M-mode echocardiographic features showed statistically significant differences between the mean values in the two groups, the degree of overlap made the differentiation of the individual patients difficult. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of classic echocardiographic features were assessed: ventricular septal thickness greater than or equal to 1.5 cm, 90% and 43% (sensitivity and specificity, respectively); ventricular septal thickness to posterior wall ratio greater than or equal to 1.5, 83% and 56%; cross-sectional area at papillary level greater than 21 cm2m-2, 80% and 73%; septal segment of the myocardial ring at papillary level greater than 6.5 cm2m-2, 80% and 87%; and the combined criteria of cross-sectional area at papillary level greater than 21 cm2m-2 and septal segment greater than 6.5 cm2m-2, 77% and 93%. Quantitative 2-D echocardiography is useful to differentiate patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from those with secondary myocardial hypertrophy due to hypertension. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is characterized by a spectrum of different morphological patterns of hypertrophy. Patients with the predominant region of hypertrophy in the anterolateral free wall or the apical region of the left ventricle were not detected with our quantitative method. Patients with this type of hypertrophy are relatively rare in the western population.     

Myocardial stiffness and the timing difference between tissue Doppler imaging Ea and peak mitral valve opening can distinguish physiological hypertrophy in athletes from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

AIM: To differentiate between physiological and pathological left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes using echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eleven patients with mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were compared against 17 international rowers with mild left ventricular hypertrophy, and 30 age matched controls. The time difference between peak Ea (Doppler tissue imaging) and peak mitral valve opening (using M-mode) was measured simultaneously. A novel index (E/Ea)/LVEDD, as a measure of left ventricular stiffness was recorded. In athletes the peak Ea preceded peak mitral opening by: median (interquartile range) 20 ms (10,20), control group 15 ms (0,30), compared with HCM where Ea followed peak mitral opening by 10 ms (0,20), P<0.0001. In athletes the index of left ventricular stiffness was lower than controls 1.2 (0.93,1.4) versus 1.5 (1.3,1.6), and HCM 2.2 (2.0,2.3), P<0.0001. CONCLUSION: Physiological hypertrophy can be differentiated from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in athletes using the Ea-peak mitral opening difference, and our index of ventricular stiffness.     

Tissue Doppler imaging in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: impact of intraventricular obstruction on longitudinal left ventricular function.

BACKGROUND: In non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, tissue Doppler imaging of the mitral annulus shows severe systolic and diastolic dysfunction, with marked heterogeneity and asynchrony. In obstructive forms, the complexity of pathophysiological interactions makes conventional echocardiographic functional assessment extremely difficult and complex. OBJECTIVE: To study longitudinal left ventricular function with tissue Doppler imaging in the obstructive forms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and 23 patients with the non-obstructive form of the disease, matched by age, were studied with pulsed tissue Doppler imaging of the 4 sides of the mitral annulus (septal, lateral, inferior, anterior) in 4 and 2 chamber views. In each wave (systolic-s, rapid filling-e, atrial contraction-a) we analyzed velocities, time intervals and velocity-time integrals, as well as heterogeneity and asynchrony indexes. Data were compared between the different sides in each group, between groups and with conventional Doppler data. RESULTS: In contrast to the non-obstructive forms, patients with intraventricular obstruction showed: Systolic function: similar velocities and integrals, the relations between the different sides of the annulus usually being preserved; longer isovolumic contraction time, time to peak s and PEP/LVET. Diastolic function: similar rapid filling and e/a velocities and integrals, lower atrial contraction velocity and integral, similar number of sides with e/a higher than or equal to 1 on the lateral and inferior side of the annulus; similar diastolic time intervals, except diastolic time. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the presence of dynamic intraventricular obstruction and the loading conditions of obstructive forms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy do not significantly influence most annular tissue Doppler imaging parameters, showing the relative load independence of the technique. So, in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients: 1--Longitudinal systolic function (velocities) is similar to the non-obstructive forms--longitudinal systolic dysfunction. 2--Longitudinal diastolic function (velocities and time intervals) is similar to the non-obstructive forms--longitudinal diastolic dysfunction. 3--Left atrial dysfunction is more severe than in non-obstructive forms. 4--The inferior and lateral sides of the annulus should be those selected in order to identify pseudonormalization of the transmitral flow.     

Doppler estimation of filling pressures in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

A case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is presented with a restrictive mitral filling pattern but predominant systolic pulmonary vein flow velocities. A stepwise Doppler work-up including color M-mode, Doppler tissue imaging of the mitral annulus velocity and loading manipulations could clarify the underlying hemodynamic mechanisms. The Doppler data were correlated with invasive measurements.     

Dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in a patient with pheochromocytoma

Symmetric left ventricular hypertrophy or asymmetric septal hypertrophy associated with pheochromocytoma simulating hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy have been rarely reported. In this report, we present a case with pheochromocytoma that had dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction without asymmetric septal hypertrophy. A surface echo revealed resolution of the systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve and all Doppler evidence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction following removal of the tumor. Dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction seen in this patient was probably due to excessive secretion of cathecolamines by the tumor.     

多普勒组织成像评价肥厚型心肌病左室舒张功能

目的应用多普勒组织成像脉冲技术测量二尖瓣环舒张速度,以评价肥厚型心肌病左室舒张功能.方法对90例肥厚型心肌病患者及50例正常人进行常规超声心电图及多普勒组织成像检查,测量各房室内径,室壁厚度,射血分数及二尖瓣环各点舒张早期峰值速度(Ea)、舒张晚期峰值速度(Aa).两组指标比较采用成组t检验.结果肥厚型心肌病患者室间隔厚度(25.5±6.6)mm,左室后壁厚度(9.9±2.3)mm,左室内径(42.9±5.9)mm,左房内径(39.9±4.7)mm,LVEF(71.9±4.3)%,二尖瓣血流E/A为1.42±0.7.肥厚型心肌病患者Ea较正常人减低.Aa无明显差异.结论肥厚型心肌病左室长轴主动松弛功能较正常人减低.     

Left ventricular diastolic flow dynamics in dilated cardiomyopathy: a color flow imaging and pulsed Doppler echocardiographic study

Left ventricular filling flow was evaluated at the mitral orifice and in the left ventricle (LV) using color flow imaging and pulsed Doppler echocardiography in seven patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and 10 normal subjects. Using the apical approach, filling flow in early and late diastole was observed by two-dimensional color and M-mode color flow imaging, and flow velocity patterns at the mitral orifice and in the LV, 3 cm below the orifice, were analyzed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Color flow imaging disclosed slower movement of the inflow signals toward the apex in DCM than in the normal. With pulsed Doppler echocardiography, the delay in timing of peak velocity in the LV was distinctly greater in DCM than in the normal, although the mitral inflow velocity did not differ between DCM and the normal. The width of the filling flow, the rate of velocity reduction and the flow velocity in the LV did not differ between DCM and the normal. Thus, in DCM, the timing of filling flow in the LV is clearly delayed compared to the timing at the mitral orifice, and this cannot be explained solely by the mitral flow velocity pattern.