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Objective To evaluate the application of M-mode echocardiography and Doppler echocardiography in diagnosing complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) in fetus. Methods M-mode and Doppler echocardiography were used to screen the fetuses and bradycadia was established as CAVB in 10 cases. Atrial and ventricular rhythm was measured by M-mode echocardiography. Flow of mitral valve, left ventricular in-flow and out-flow tract, venous duct was measured by Doppler echocardiography. The characteristics and prognoses of CAVB fetus were compared and analyzed. Results CAVB was established as independence in rhythm of atrium and ventricle. The rhythm of atrium could be in normal range, while the rhythm of ventricle should be slower than normal. Enlarged chambers were observed in 6 cases, cardiac dysfunction in 5 cases, and pericardial effusion in 7 cases. Tricuspid regurgitation and mitral regurgitation existed in 5 and 1 case, respectively. All of the CAVB fetus in this study underwent abortions. Conclusions Fetal echocardiography is proven to be a useful tool to diagnose CAVB, which greatly influenced the cardiac function in fetuses. Clear diagnosis as early as possible is crucial to the treatment of CAVB fetus.
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Objective To discuss the worthiness of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography in researching normal fetal heart ventricle growth and systolic function. Methods End-systolic volume(EDV),end-diastolic volume(ESV), struggle volume(SV) and ejection fraction(EF) of 54 normal fetal were acquired from 3-D data by Qlab software. The relation between ventricular growth with pregnant week was analysed and the difference of the volume and systolic function between left ventricle with right ventricle were compared. Results Ventricular volume of normal fetal heart (EDV,ESV,SV) were all increased with the gestational ages,there was linear relativity between them,while EF was not increased with pregnant weeks,there was no linear relativity between them. There was no statistics difference on EDV and ESV between left ventricle and right ventricle, while there was statistics difference on SV, EF between them. Conclusions The image of fetal endocarium could be derived clearly by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography, which help to get fetal heart ventricular volume and to study fetal heart growth and function.
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Objective To compare the value of speckle-tracking imaging and tissue Doppler strain imaging in evaluating left atrial (LA) mechanical contraction. Methods Forty patients after successful percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure were enrolled in this study. Two-dimensional strain imaging (2D strain echocardiography, 2DSE) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) were performed one weak after ASD closure. Off-line analysis was done for atrial longitudinal peak systolic strain on the interatrial septum, in correspondence of the device, and on the lateral wall of the left atrium from apical 4 chamber view with 2DSE and color-coded strain imaging, respectively. Results There was no statistical difference of the inter- and intra-observer viability as well as time consumption on the off-line analysis between 2DSE and TDI. LA lateral wall strain was much higher than that of LA septum assessed by both color-coded strain imaging (47.31%±27.25% vs 30.06%±14.29%, P<0.01) and 2DSE (43.49%±25.55% vs 12.74%±9.16%, P<0.001). LA lateral wall strain was similar with either method (P=NS). However, at the site of ASD occluder, a non-contractile element, deformation was significantly higher in color-coded strain imaging than 2DSE (P<0.001). Five patients (12.50%) presented absence of deformation on ASD occluder with 2DSE, whereas there was no patient with TDI assessment (χ~2=5.33, P=0.027). Conclusion Speckle-tracking imaging is superior to tissue Doppler strain imaging in assessing left atrium mechanical function.
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Objective To describe the characteristics of the criss-cross heart with comprehensively segmental echocardiographic scanning in order to explore the diagnostic value of the echocardiography.Methods Ten cases of criss-cross heart were retrospectively reviewed with 2-dimensional,color Doppler echocardiography to summarize the main diagnostic methods.Results The right ventricle was located superiorly and the left ventricle inferiorly in 9 patients and paralleled alignment in 1.The solitus situs was observed in 9 patients and dextrocardia in 1;the atrioventricular connections were concordant in 8 patients and discordant in 2.Echocardiography revealed that 5 patients presented with transposition of great artery and 5 with double outlet of right ventricle as well as all with ventricular septum defect.Conclusions Clear visualization is available with echocardiography to show the crossing inflow streams at the level of atrial-ventricular valve,abnormal alignment of the ventricular septum as well as the associated abnormalities.