title: Assessment of right ventricular function by feature-tracking echocardiography in conscious healthy dogs.
abstract: Advanced two-dimensional echocardiographic techniques allow strain (S) analysis of regional function and thus can provide information on regional myocardial deformation. Feature-tracking echocardiography (FTE) is based on a mono-dimensional technology and may offer more detailed information about septal deformation because it can analyse the activity of left- and right-sided septal fibres separately. The present study aimed to quantify global and regional (free wall and septal) right ventricular (RV) longitudinal S and strain rate (SR). We also investigated the relationships of S and SR with age, sex, weight, breed (sighthound breed vs other breeds), and heart rate. Cine loops were acquired from the left apical four-chamber view, optimized for the RV, in 60 dogs. The within-day and between-day intra-observer coefficient of variation for global RV S and SR in normal dogs using FTE was acceptable (<8.5%). Global longitudinal S (GLS) and SR showed a significant correlation with breed. GLS showed a significant weak positive correlation with weight. Global longitudinal SR showed a significant moderate negative correlation with heart rate. No correlation was found between GLS/SR and age. There was no significant difference between male and female dogs. This study shows, for the first time, that a novel FTE algorithm represents a promising and feasible non-invasive technique to assess RV myocardial function (free wall and septal deformation) in dogs. Based on our results, sighthound breeds appear to need specific reference values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health (DIVET), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Ponzio 7, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: chiara.locatelli@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health (DIVET), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Ponzio 7, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: illispa@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Spalla
authors.affiliation: Computer Science Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Comelico 39/4, 20135 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: zanaboni@di.unimi.it.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zanaboni
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health (DIVET), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Ponzio 7, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: paola.brambilla@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Paola G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.affiliation: Clinica Veterinaria Gran Sasso, Via Donatello 26, 20131 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: claudio.bussadori@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bussadori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Feature tracking echocardiography; Healthy Dog; Right ventricular function; Strain; Strain rate