European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging
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Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2013
Comparative StudyRestrictive right ventricular physiology after tetralogy of Fallot repair is associated with fibrosis of the right ventricular outflow tract visualized on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.
To determine whether the restrictive physiology seen in Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) patients can be explained by fibrosis of the right ventricular (RV) outflow tract. The aetiology for restrictive RV physiology after TOF repair is not known. ⋯ There is a strong association between the restrictive RV physiology detected on CMR and fibrosis of the RVOT in children after TOF repair.
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Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging · Sep 2013
Pulmonary artery acceleration time in identifying pulmonary hypertension patients with raised pulmonary vascular resistance.
In patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), ascertaining raised vascular resistance as a cause is a clinical objective, for which various Doppler-based measurements have been proposed, but with modest accuracy. We hypothesize that pulmonary acceleration time (PAcT) and the ratio of PAcT/peak pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) reflect better the extent of the vascular resistance, compared with other available methods, and can differentiate accurately between pre- and post-capillary PH. ⋯ PAcT <90 ms can serve as a strong non-invasive predictor of PVR >3 WU, which could differentiate patients with pre- and post-capillary PH.
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Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging · Sep 2013
Speckle-tracking strain of the left atrium: a transoesophageal echocardiographic validation study.
The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the relationship between novel two-dimensional transthoracic indices of left atrial (LA) mechanical function (speckle-tracking- and tissue Doppler-derived parameters), conventional indices (A-wave peak velocity and velocity-time integral, and A' velocity), and transoesophageal echocardiographic parameters (LA appendage emptying velocity and spontaneous echocardiographic contrast); and (2) to assess to clinical feasibility of these novel transthoracic echocardiographic indices. ⋯ Assessment of LA mechanical function using speckle-tracking echocardiography is a valid approach compared with transoesophageal echocardiography, and is clinically feasible.