Left Ventricular Radial Strain in Children with Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Analyzed with Two Dimensional Speckle Tracking Imaging Method

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze left ventricular (LV) radial strain (S) and strain rate (SR) in children with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to evaluate whether the impairment of global radial wall motion correlates with global ventricular dysfunction in DCM. METHODS: In 10 DCM patients (range 0.6-15 years, median age 6.5 years, 3 females) and 17 age and sex matched normal controls (range 0.5-14 years, median age 5 years, 5 females) conventional echocardiography and real time tissue Doppler imaging analysis were performed. Using an automatic two dimensional speckle tracking imaging (STI) method radial S and SR were calculated for each LV segment in 18 segment model. To evaluate the correlation between the impairment of radial motion and LV global function, the average values of radial S and SR of each LV level were obtained, and defined as global (G) S or SR. RESULTS: LV radial S and SR were markedly heterogeneous and decreased in almost all segments of LV in DCM. Impaired radial S and SR were associated with global LV dysfunction. CONCLUSION: In DCM, decreased and disorganized radial S and SR contribute to LV dysfunction. Analysis of radial S and SR with STI method can give further information on LV function in DCM.