Two-dimensional strain and atrial function: a study on patients after percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of two-dimensional (2D) strain in assessing regional myocardial function along the atrial wall.


RESULTS
We studied 20 patients late after successful percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. The analysis was performed for atrial longitudinal peak systolic strain on the interatrial septum, in correspondence of the device, and on the lateral wall of the left atrium. The speckle tracking indexes demonstrated almost the absence of any deformation on the Amplatzer ASD occluder, a bulky non-contractile element, passively moved by global heart motion. This study in a simple clinical model demonstrates that 2D strain is not influenced by global heart motion and tethering from adjacent segments and can also be used to study the regional atrial function. Moreover, both acquisition and post-processing times of 2D strain were very short, and the reproducibility was very good.


CONCLUSIONS
All these above-mentioned characteristics make the 2D strain a tool fully compatible with the clinical scanning, able to provide additional clinical information.
Di Salvo
Giovanni
G
Department of Cardiology, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Second University of Naples-Monaldi Hospital, Via Omodeo 45, Naples 80128, Italy. giodisal@yahoo.it
Pacileo
Giuseppe
G
Castaldi
Biagio
B
Gala
Simona
S
Morelli
Carmela
C
D'Andrea
Antonello
A
Limongelli
Giuseppe
G
Del Gaizo
Fortuna
F
Merlino
Ettore
E
Russo
Maria Giovanna
MG
Calabrò
Raffaele
R
D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media