Current clinical application of intracardiac flow analysis using echocardiography.
In evaluating the cardiac function, it is important to have a comprehensive assessment of structural factors, such as the myocardial or valvular function and intracardiac flow dynamics that pass the heart. Vortex flow that form during left ventricular filling have specific geometry and anatomical location that are critical determinants of directed blood flow during ejection. The formation of abnormal vortices relates to the abnormal cardiac function. Therefore, vortex flow may offer a novel index of cardiac dysfunction. Intracardiac flow visualization using ultrasound technique has definite advantages with a higher temporal resolution and availability in real time clinical setting. Vector flow mapping based on color-Doppler and contrast echocardiography using particle image velocimetry is currently being used for visualizing the intracardiac flow. The purpose of this review is to provide readers with an update on the current method for analyzing intracardiac flow using echocardiography and its clinical applications.
Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Geu-Ru
GR
Hong
School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia.
Minji
M
Kim
University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
Gianni
G
Pedrizzetti
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Piedmont Heart Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Mani A
MA
Vannan
Echocardiography; Intracardiac flow; Particle image velocimetry; Vortex