title: Exercise subcostal two-dimensional echocardiography: a new method of segmental wall motion analysis.
abstract: This study determines the effectiveness of the subcostal view 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiogram in providing images of left ventricular wall motion at rest and during symptom-limited upright bicycle exercise, and compares 2-D echocardiographic regional wall motion analysis with first-pass radionuclide angiography. Diagnostic-quality subcostal 2-D echocardiograms at rest were obtained in 95% of unselected persons studied (16 of 17 normal subjects and 23 of 24 patients who had had myocardial infarction [MI] ). All who had adequate studies at rest had diagnostic-quality maximal exercise studies. Segmental wall motion at rest and exercise determined by 2-D echocardiography correlated well with radionuclide angiography in both the normal and post-MI groups. The chi-squared values for the 3 segments analyzed were: anterior 52 (p less than 0.001), apical 56 (p less than 0.001) and inferior 37 (p less than 0.001). It is concluded that subcostal view 2-D echocardiography at rest and at the peak of symptom-limited upright bicycle exercise is a feasible and accurate noninvasive method for the analysis of segmental left ventricular function.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012146:Rest