Cardiac cycle-dependent variation of integrated backscatter is not distorted by abnormal myocardial wall motion in human subjects with paradoxical septal motion.
To define the dependence of cardiac cycle-dependent variation of integrated backscatter on regional myocardial wall motion, 8 children mean age 10.6 +/- 1.3 y with congenital cardiac lesions associated with paradoxical septal motion were studied (study group). Six healthy children mean age 9.0 +/- 0.3 y with no history of cardiac disease served as controls (control group). Subjects in the study group had paradoxical septal motion but normal septal wall thickening detected by conventional two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography. The control group had normal septal motion evident by conventional echocardiographic criteria. The percentage of systolic septal thickening was 46 +/- 4.5% and 42 +/- 5.9% in the study and control groups (p = NS). Cyclic variation was measured in parasternal long-axis views from several septal sites in each subject. Mean values of the magnitude of cyclic variation from independent septal sites were averaged to yield a regional average value for each subject. The average regional magnitude of cyclic variation was 8.3 +/- 1.0 dB and 5.7 +/- 0.4 dB in the study and control groups (p = NS). The results indicate that the measurement of cyclic variation of integrated backscatter is not distorted by altered regional wall motion, and that it reflects intrinsic contractile function.
Milunski
M R
MR
Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Canter
C E
CE
Wickline
S A
SA
Sobel
B E
BE
Miller
J G
JG
Pérez
J E
JE
D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction