title: The incidence and significance of increased backscatter in myocardial ultrasonography of patients on hemodialysis.
abstract: Ultrasonic backscatter is substantially modified by pathologic changes in myocardium. To define the incidence and significance of increased backscatter in myocardial ultrasonography of patients on chronic hemodialysis, 41 patients (aged 9-63 years) and 20 healthy controls were studied with conventional two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography and with analysis of integrated backscatter. Increased histogram values were found in all patients especially in those whose two-dimensional echocardiographic examinations revealed mitral annular calcification (n = 3), aortic valve calcification (n = 2) and aortic plus mitral annular calcification (n = 1). It was concluded that ultrasonographic-integrated backscatter may be a useful method for early identification of cardiac calcification in uremic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cetinkaya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baysal
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koçak
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gürses
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis