Speckle-tracking imaging and tissue Doppler strain imaging in assessing left atrium mechanical function: A study on patients with transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defect / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

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.