Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography as a novel approach to quantify left ventricular dyssynchrony: a comparison study with phase analysis of gated myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography.
BACKGROUND
Different imaging modalities have been explored for assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony. Gated myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (GMPS) with phase analysis is a reliable technique to quantify LV dyssynchrony and predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.


OBJECTIVE
Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) is a novel imaging technique that provides a LV systolic dyssynchrony index, based on regional volumetric changes as a function of time and calculated as the SD of time to minimum systolic volume of 16 standard myocardial segments expressed in percentage of cardiac cycle. The aim of this study was to compare LV dyssynchrony evaluated with GMPS with LV dyssynchrony assessed with RT3DE.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 40 patients with heart failure who underwent both GMPS and RT3DE.


RESULTS
Good correlations between LV dyssynchrony assessed with RT3DE and GMPS were demonstrated (r = 0.76 for histogram bandwidth, r = 0.80 for phase SD, P < .0001). Patients with substantial LV dyssynchrony on GMPS (defined as > or = 135 degrees for histogram bandwidth and > or = 43 degrees for phase SD) had significantly higher LV systolic dyssynchrony index than patients without substantial LV dyssynchrony.


CONCLUSIONS
The good correlations between LV dyssynchrony assessed with GMPS and with RT3DE provide further support for the use of RT3DE for reliable assessment of LV dyssynchrony.
Marsan
Nina Ajmone
NA
Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Henneman
Maureen M
MM
Chen
Ji
J
Ypenburg
Claudia
C
Dibbets
Petra
P
Ghio
Stefano
S
Bleeker
Gabe B
GB
Stokkel
Marcel P
MP
van der Wall
Ernst E
EE
Tavazzi
Luigi
L
Garcia
Ernest V
EV
Bax
Jeroen J
JJ
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*