The Usefulness of Color-Coded Phase Image for the Evaluation of Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities in Coronary Artery Disease

Phase and Amplitude Image were developed to overcome the subjective nature of interpretation for cinematic endless loop display of radionuclide gated blood pool scan. To evaluate the usefulness of color coded phase image in coronary artery disease, we conducted a clinical study with coronary angiography and phase image in 23 patients, and compared the results of those studies. 1) The results of coronary angiography revealed normal coronary artery in 6, 1 vessel disease in 11, 2 vessel disease in 4, and 3 vessel disease in 2 patients. 2) Color-coded Phase Image revealed abnormal phase area in 2/2(100%) of 3 vessel disease patients and in 3/4(75%) of 2 vessel disease patients, in 5/11(45%) of 1 vessel disease patients, and only 1/6(16%) of normal coronary artery. 3) Among the patients who disclosed abnormal phase image, 5 patients of 2-or3-vessl disease revealed abnormal phase through whole left ventricular area, but 3 patients with right coronary artery lesion and 2 patients with left antrior descending artery lesion showed localized abnormal phase area, infero-apical and anterior portion respectively, which were in accord with each coronary lesion. We concluded that the phase image may be useful in evaluation of the regional wall motion abnormalities in the patients of coronary artery disease. Further studies seem to be neccessary to clarify the sensitivity and specificity of the phase image in the each disease entity group.

Color Doppler Assessment of Mitral Regurgitation

Color Doppler echocardiographic examination was performed to detect and evaluate semiquantitatively the severity of mitral regurgitation in 38 patients who underwent left ventriculography. The sensitivity and specificity of the technique in the detection of mitral regurgitation was 84% and 100% as compared with left ventriculography.Mitral regurgitation in the false negative cases was mostly mild. On the bases of the farthest distance reached by the regurgitation flow signal from the mitral value orifice, the severity of regurgitation was graded on a four point scale and these results were compared with those of angiography. A significant correlation(r=0.87) was found between Doppler imaging and angiography in the evaluation of the severity of mitral regurgitation.Also results was obtained for the evaluation based on the area covered by the regurgitant signals in the left atrial cavity & the regurgitant jet area(RJA) experssed as a percentage of the left atrial are(LLA) obtained in the same plane(RJA/LLA%). In conclusion, Color Doppler echocardiography is a useful noninvasvive thechique that is not only sensitive and specific in the identification of mitral regurgitation but also provides accurate estimation og its severity.

The Echocardiographic Study on the 13 Patients with the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

The echocardiographic study was performed to 13 cases with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and 105 normal persons between Nov. 1980 and Feb. 1982 in Heart center, Paik Hospital, In-Je Medical College, Busan, Korea. The left ventricular functions in the Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were compared with those in the normal. The results were followings: 1. There were 10 male and 3 female of 13 cases with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, whose ages were above 20 years old. 2. LVDeD 4.29+/-0.60cm, LVSeD 2.85+/-0.66cm, LVDeV 82.06+/-24.66ml and LVSeV 26.91+/-9.21ml in the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy were significantly changed with those in the normal. 3. E.F. 68.63+/-10.46% and F.S. 34.32+/-6.43% in the Hypertrophic Cardiomopathy were significantly increased with those in the normal. 4. VSTh 1.66+/-0.37cm, LVPWTh 1.04+/-0.29cm in the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy were significantly increased with those in the normal.