Three-dimensional mapping of mechanical activation patterns, contractile dyssynchrony and dyscoordination by two-dimensional strain echocardiography: rationale and design of a novel software toolbox.
BACKGROUND
Dyssynchrony of myocardial deformation is usually described in terms of variability only (e.g. standard deviations SD's). A description in terms of the spatio-temporal distribution pattern (vector-analysis) of dyssynchrony or by indices estimating its impact by expressing dyscoordination of shortening in relation to the global ventricular shortening may be preferential. Strain echocardiography by speckle tracking is a new non-invasive, albeit 2-D imaging modality to study myocardial deformation.


METHODS
A post-processing toolbox was designed to incorporate local, speckle tracking-derived deformation data into a 36 segment 3-D model of the left ventricle. Global left ventricular shortening, standard deviations and vectors of timing of shortening were calculated. The impact of dyssynchrony was estimated by comparing the end-systolic values with either early peak values only (early shortening reserve ESR) or with all peak values (virtual shortening reserve VSR), and by the internal strain fraction (ISF) expressing dyscoordination as the fraction of deformation lost internally due to simultaneous shortening and stretching. These dyssynchrony parameters were compared in 8 volunteers (NL), 8 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW), and 7 patients before (LBBB) and after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).


RESULTS
Dyssynchrony indices merely based on variability failed to detect differences between WPW and NL and failed to demonstrate the effect of CRT. Only the 3-D vector of onset of shortening could distinguish WPW from NL, while at peak shortening and by VSR, ESR and ISF no differences were found. All tested dyssynchrony parameters yielded higher values in LBBB compared to both NL and WPW. CRT reduced the spatial divergence of shortening (both vector magnitude and direction), and improved global ventricular shortening along with reductions in ESR and dyscoordination of shortening expressed by ISF.


CONCLUSIONS
Incorporation of local 2-D echocardiographic deformation data into a 3-D model by dedicated software allows a comprehensive analysis of spatio-temporal distribution patterns of myocardial dyssynchrony, of the global left ventricular deformation and of newer indices that may better reflect myocardial dyscoordination and/or impaired ventricular contractile efficiency. The potential value of such an analysis is highlighted in two dyssynchronous pathologies that impose particular challenges to deformation imaging.
Department of Cardiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands. b.w.l.deboeck@umcutrecht.nl
Bart W L
BW
De Boeck
Borut
B
Kirn
Arco J
AJ
Teske
Ralph W
RW
Hummeling
Pieter A
PA
Doevendans
Maarten J
MJ
Cramer
Frits W
FW
Prinzen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D015637:Gated Blood-Pool Imaging / Q000379:methods; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009426:Netherlands; D011336:Probability; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy