Assessment of propagation velocity by contrast echocardiography for standardization of color Doppler propagation velocity measurements.
BACKGROUND
Color Doppler propagation velocity (Vp) (color-Vp) has not yet been standardized, although it should be able to specifically reflect the intraventricular movements of left ventricular (LV) inflow. Because contrast echocardiography can depict a specified flow, we used this modality to standardize measurements of color-Vp of LV inflow.


METHODS
We performed contrast echocardiographic examinations in 100 patients (70 men, 30 women; age 53 +/- 12 years). Four types of color-Vp were measured: by the flow wave front method and by aliasing method using 3 aliasing velocity levels based on the peak velocity of early diastolic flow of transmitral flow. We also determined contrast echocardiographic Vp by M-mode imaging of LV inflow (contrast-Vp).


RESULTS
Contrast-Vp and all 4 types of color-Vp could be compared in 86 patients. Contrast-Vp was significantly lower than color-Vp ( P < .01), except for color-Vp measured at the aliasing level 50% > peak velocity of early diastolic flow >/= 40% (color-Vp 40). A close relationship was observed between contrast-Vp and color-Vp 40 ( r = 0.801, P < .0001). Contrast-Vp and color-Vp 40 showed high ability to detect abnormal transmitral flow patterns according to receiver operating characteristics curves (area under curve for contrast-Vp, 0.94; for color-Vp 40, 0.90).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results should be useful in standardization of color-Vp measurement to specifically reflect propagation of the fluid elements derived from LV inflow, with ability to distinguish LV filling abnormalities.
Seo
Yoshihiro
Y
Cardiovascular Division, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Graduate School of Comprehensice Human Science, University of Tsukuba, Japan. seo@bf6.so-net.ne.jp
Ishimitsu
Toshiyuki
T
Ishizu
Tomoko
T
Obara
Kenichi
K
Moriyama
Naoko
N
Kawano
Satoru
S
Watanabe
Shigeyuki
S
Yamaguchi
Iwao
I
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
D003287:Contrast Media