Objective: To investigate the value of three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) and the novel areas train (AS) in detecting wall motion abnormalities caused by coronary artery diseases.
Methods: Conventional and 3D echocardiography was done on forty-six patients suspected with coronary heart diseases, immediately before they received cardiac catheterization. Segmental wall-motion score (WMS) and WMS index (WMSI) were assessed on conventional two-dimensional (2D) images, and strain-derived parameters were analyzed by speckle tracking technique based on 3D images. The accuracy of echocardiographic parameters to assess the regional myocardial ischemia was tested against coronary angiography results using ROC curve analysis and linear regression.
Results: Compared with controls, patients with severe coronary stenosis (> or = ;70% coronary stenosis) had lower left ventricular ejection fraction, higher WMSI and lower global strains. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that segmental WMS had relatively poor sensitivity for regional myocardial ischemia and infarction. The segmental strains measured using 3DSTE provided accurate assessment of the regional wall motion abnormalities. The segmental area strain > -25% yielded the best sensitivity and specificity for detecting the ischemic and infracted segments among all four strain parameters.
Conclusion: 3DSTE provides a swift and accurate assessment of regional myocardial motion. The novel area strain derived by 3DSTE is an accurate and reproducible index for regional wall motion abnormality.