title: A comparison of different techniques of two-dimensional speckle-tracking strain measurements of right ventricular systolic function in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Speckle-tracking echocardiography has been applied to measure right ventricular (RV) systolic function in various diseases. However, variations in strain measurement by different vendors have limited the application of these techniques for assessment of RV function. We sought to compare two methods for the assessment of RV systolic function in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE).
  
  
  METHODS
  From August 2007 to May 2011, all consecutive PE patients were prospectively included in this cohort study. Global longitudinal strains of RV measured with EchoPAC PC software (GLSRV-EchoPAC; GE Medical Systems) and velocity vector imaging (GLSRV-VVI; Siemens Medical Systems) were recorded on the same set of echocardiographic images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed a total of 50 patients (12 males, 68 ± 14 years) with acute PE in this study. GLSRV-EchoPAC and GLSRV-VVI were correlated (r = 0.793, p < 0.001) and they showed significant correlations with conventional echocardiographic parameters of RV systolic function and Log B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level. However, GLSRV-VVI only showed significant correlations with cardiac biomarkers as serum creatinine kinase-MB (r = 0.367, p = 0.010) and tropoinin-I concentrations (r = 0.294, p = 0.040).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GLSRV-VVI and GLSRV-EchoPAC showed significant correlations with conventional echocardiographic parameters of RV systolic function and LogBNP value in patients with PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyeong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-In
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Joo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon Sang
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Si Wan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Ok
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: In-Whan
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Seong
keywords: Pulmonary embolism; Right ventricle; Strain echocardiography