ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the clinical value of left atrium volume tracking (LAVT) technique in assessment of left atrium (LA) volume and function changes in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP). Methods: Twenty CP patients who underwent pericardiectomy were enrolled. LA volume parameters, including LA maximum volume (LAVmax), pre-contraction volume (LAVpre) and minimum volume (LAVmin) were obtained in CP patients before (preoperative group) and after pericardiectomy (postoperative group), also in 20 healthy subjects (control group) with LAVT technique. The measured volume parameters were calibrated with body surface area,and then LAVImax, LAVIpre, LAVImin were obtained. Systolic filling rate of LA (dv/dtS), early diastolic emptying rate of LA (dv/dtE) and late diastolic emptying rate of LA (dv/dtA) were measured according to LA volume change velocity curve obtained with LAVT. Then LA total ejection fraction (LATEF), LA passive ejection fraction (LAPEF) and LA active ejection fraction (LAAEF) were also calculated. The parameters were compared among groups. Results: Obvious differences of LAVImin were found among 3 groups (P<0.05). LAVImin in preoperative group and postoperative group were higher than that in control group (both P<0.05), while in preoperative group was higher than that in postoperative group (P<0.05). There were statistical differences of LATEF, LAPEF, LAAEF, dv/dtS, dv/dtE and dv/dtA among 3 groups (all P<0.05), those in preoperative group and postoperative group were lower than in control group (all P<0.05), in preoperative group were lower than in postoperative group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: LAVT can be used to accurately assess changes of LA volume and function in CP patients before and after pericardiectomy.