Usefulness of a novel ultrasound transducer for continuous monitoring treadmill exercise echocardiography to assess coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
The feasibility of a novel ultrasound probe, which can be attached to the left ventricular (LV) apex chest wall and allows free rotation around its long axis direction for the continuous monitoring of LV wall motion, was tested.


RESULTS
There were 36 subjects who had coronary artery disease (CAD). By attaching a novel ultrasound probe to the chest wall, the LV apical views were recorded during treadmill exercise stress echocardiography (Echo). The continuous monitoring of LV wall motion was satisfactorily feasible in 30 of 36 patients. The visualization rate of the overall LV segments was higher at rest (90%) compared to that during peak exercise (77%). The segments were better visualized in apical portions (90-100%) than in mid (77-96%) or basal portions (68-87%). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detecting CAD were 61, 100 and 77%, respectively. The wall motion score index 3 and 6 min after exercise decreased significantly compared to those at peak exercise. The number of segments with dyssynergy was highest at the peak exercise. Ischemic ST-T depression on electrocardiography was observed only at peak stress periods.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous monitoring treadmill exercise Echo using a novel ultrasound probe seems feasible for the non-invasive and physiological assessment of CAD.
Nakashiki
Kenichi
K
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Respiratory and Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima University, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, Japan. kenchan@js7.so-net.ne.jp
Kisanuki
Akira
A
Otsuji
Yutaka
Y
Yoshifuku
Shiro
S
Yuasa
Toshinori
T
Takasaki
Kunitsugu
K
Kuwahara
Eiji
E
Yu
Bo
B
Uemura
Takeshi
T
Mizukami
Naoko
N
Hamasaki
Shuichi
S
Minagoe
Shinichi
S
Tei
Chuwa
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004867:Equipment Design; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013599:Systole; D014159:Transducers; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*