Clinical potential of ultrasound tissue characterization in cardiomyopathies.
Standard methods of echocardiographic analysis permit accurate categorization of cardiomyopathies into dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive types. However, ascertainment of the cause of a particular cardiomyopathy (e.g., ischemia versus inflammation as the cause of a dilated myopathy) with ultrasound would be greatly facilitated by analysis of myocardial composition with ultrasound tissue characterization techniques. Qualitative observations have identified unusual echocardiographic image texture in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in amyloidosis. Quantitative observations have verified these findings and have identified increased ultrasound backscatter in regions of myocardial fibrosis, calcification, and anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy. Although several technical problems remain unsolved and further research is needed in the mechanisms of normal and abnormal ultrasound/tissue interactions, tissue characterization with ultrasound has the potential to contribute independent information on myocardial composition in patients with cardiomyopathy.
Skorton
D J
DJ
Cardiovascular Image Processing and Ultrasonic Imaging Laboratories, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Collins
S M
SM
D000818:Animals; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000473:pathology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium; D014465:Ultrasonics