Accuracy and reproducibility of strain by speckle tracking in pediatric subjects with normal heart and single ventricular physiology: a two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging correlative study.
BACKGROUND
Myocardial strain is a sensitive measure of ventricular systolic function. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2DSE) is an angle-independent method for strain measurement but has not been validated in pediatric subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of 2DSE-measured strain against reference tagged magnetic resonance imaging-measured strain in pediatric subjects with normal hearts and those with single ventricles (SVs) of left ventricular morphology after the Fontan procedure.


METHODS
Peak systolic circumferential strain and longitudinal strain (LS) in segments (n = 16) of left ventricles in age-matched and body surface area-matched 20 healthy and 12 pediatric subjects with tricuspid atresia after the Fontan procedure were measured by 2DSE and tagged magnetic resonance imaging. Average (global) and regional segmental strains measured by the two methods were compared using Spearman's and Bland-Altman analyses.


RESULTS
Global strains measured by 2DSE and tagged magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated close agreements, which were better for LS than circumferential strain and in normal left ventricles than in SVs (95% limits of agreement, +0.0% to +3.12%, -2.48% to +1.08%, -4.6% to +1.8%, and -3.6% to +1.8%, respectively). There was variability in agreement between regional strains, with wider limits in apical than in basal regions in normal left ventricles and heterogeneity in SVs. Strain values were significantly (P < .05) higher in normal left ventricles than in SVs except for basal LS, which were similar in both cohorts. The regional strains in normal left ventricles demonstrated an apicobasal magnitude gradient, whereas SVs showed heterogeneity. Reproducibility was the most robust for images obtained with frame rates between 60 and 90 frames/sec, global LS in both cohorts, and basal strains in normal left ventricles.


CONCLUSIONS
Strains measured by 2DSE agree with strain measured by magnetic resonance imaging globally but vary regionally, particularly in SVs. Global strain may be a more robust tool for cardiac functional evaluation than regional strain in SV physiology. The reliability of 2DSE-measured strain is affected by the frame rate, the nature of strain, and ventricular geometry.
Singh
Gautam K
GK
Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. singh_g@kids.wustl.edu
Cupps
Brian
B
Pasque
Michael
M
Woodard
Pamela K
PK
Holland
Mark R
MR
Ludomirsky
Achiau
A
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D018729:Fontan Procedure / Q000379:methods; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D018785:Tricuspid Atresia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery