Strain rate imaging for assessment of regional myocardial function: results from a clinical model of septal ablation.
BACKGROUND
Regional myocardial function assessment is essential in the management of coronary artery disease (CAD). Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) by depicting local myocardial motion can potentially quantify regional myocardial function. Strain rate imaging (SRI) that depicts regional deformation is less susceptible to cardiac translation and tethering and may be superior to TDI for regional function analysis. We examined regional myocardial function using TDI and SRI in a unique clinical model of a small, discrete myocardial infarction.


RESULTS
Ten patients with severely symptomatic septal hypertrophy underwent basal septal ablation via intracoronary alcohol injection and had TDI and SRI pre- and postablation. Invasive hemodynamics showed no appreciable change in global function. Peak systolic strain rate was significantly lower postablation versus preablation (-0.5 versus -1.2 s(-1), P<0.001) and when comparing infarct and noninfarct areas (-0.5 versus -1.5 s(-1), P<0.001). In contrast, peak systolic tissue velocities were similar pre- and postablation (3.9 versus 2.9 cm/s, P=0.16) and between infarct and noninfarct areas (2.9 versus 2.2 cm/s, P=0.13). SRI analysis demonstrated reduced systolic function in the peri-infarct zone and preserved systolic function in the remote nonischemic zone.


CONCLUSIONS
In the clinical setting of a small, discrete infarct unaccompanied by changes in global function, SRI accurately depicted changes in regional function. These data suggest that SRI may be the optimal method for objective, quantitative assessment of regional myocardial dysfunction.
Abraham
Theodore P
TP
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA.
Nishimura
Rick A
RA
Holmes
David R
DR
Belohlavek
Marek
M
Seward
James B
JB
D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004562:Electrocardiography; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D000431:Ethanol