Objective To assess the changes of right atrial size and mechanical function after radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using real-time threedimensional echocardiography(RT-3DE), and to study the correlation between the changes of left atrial(LA)and right atrial(RA) volume and function. Methods Thirty-five patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were undergone radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) successfully. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE),tissue Doppler imaging(TDI) and RT-3DE were performed before, 1 month and 3 months after procedure respectively. Late systolic volume and area of RA and LA,ejection fraction(EF) of RA and LA,late diastolic peak velocity of mitral valve inflow, tricuspid valve inflow and late diastolic peak velocity of mitral annulus and tricuspid annulus were recorded. Results The 3DE images of all patients were satisfied.LA max area and 3DE LA max volume were significantly reduced at 1 months and 3 months after procedure compared with basic stage [ ( 18.8 ± 6.3) cm2 vs (21.5 ± 6.2) cm2 , (38.8 ± 17.0) ml vs (46.1 ± 20.0) ml,P ＜ 0.05]. 3DE LA EF also declined markedly at 1 month after RFCA, and restored at 3 months later compared with baseline [(41.1 ± 13.7) % vs (51.7 ± 15.9) %, (41.1 ± 13.7) % vs (45.6 ± 18.3) %, P ＜0.05]. The size and mechanical function of the right atrial after procedure were no obvious changes. There were no evidently correlation between the changes of LA and RA volume and function. Conclusions RT3DE can provide a precise method to quantify the value of atrial volume and function. The LA size and volume are significantly reduced after RFCA in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, however, the RA size and function are no obvious changes.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCUS) in diagnosing lymph nodes metastasis of gastric carcinoma.Methods One hundred and sixteen patients with gastric cancer diagnosed by gastroscope and confirmed by pathology after operation were examined by DCUS preoperatively.The enhanced characteristic of gastric carcinoma tissues was assessed by autotracking contrast quantification(ACQ) software.The baseline intensity(BI), peak intensity(PI), arrival time(AT) and time to peak(TTP) of gastric cancer was measured automatically,and the enhanced intensity (EI) and wash-in time(WIT) of gastric cancer was calculated manually (EI=PI-BI; WIT=TTP-AT).All of the subjects were divided into two groups according to their lymph nodes status postoperatively:group N1,sixty-nine patients with lymph nodes metastasis; and group N0, forty-seven patients without lymph nodes metastasis.The DCUS quantitative analysis and pathological results of these two groups were compared each other.The Kappa's test was used for inter-rater reliability.Results BI of group N1 in the gastric carcinoma tissues was lower than that of group N0 significantly [(1.41 ± 1.56)dB vs (3.92 ± 2.82)dB, t = - 4.81, P = 0.000].EI of group N1 in the gastric carcinoma tissues was higher than that of group N0 significantly [(20.67±3.71)dB vs (14.12±3.75)dB, t=7.31, P=0.000].Moreover, there was a significant difference of WIT in the gastric carcinoma tissues between these two groups[(9.12±2.99)s vs (10.88±3.05)s, t =-2.43, P=0.018].The WIT in patients with lymph nodes metastasis was shorter than that without it. A cut-off value ＞17.05 dB of EI in gastric cancer tissues for assessing the lymph nodes metastasis had a sensitivity of 80.50% and specificity of 76.70% respectively obtained by the area under the ROC curve. The Kappa value of this method was 0.88.Conclusions EI of gastric cancer tissues can be considered as a new potential index to evaluate the lymph nodes metastasis of gastric cancer.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCEUS) in assessing the peripancreatic vascular invasion of pancreatic carcinoma.Methods Twenty-eight patients with pancreatic cancer confirmed by postoperative pathology were examined by DCEUS preoperatively.The relationship between neoplasms and peripancreatic vessels was analyzed for assessing whether vascular invasion of pancreatic cancer had occurred.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy of DCEUS in evaluating vascular involvement were calculated by using the surgical results as a gold standard.Kappa test was used for assessing the intra- and interobserver reliability of DCEUS.Results In total 28 patients,21 cases were diagnosed as vascular invasion,whereas,7 cases were noninvasive by surgical results.By DCEUS,18 cases were assessed as positive involvement of vessels,whereas,10 cases were negative.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy of DCEUS in evaluating vascular involvement were 85.71 ％,100％,100 ％,70.00 ％ and 89.29 ％ respectively,and with higher reliability (Kappainter =0.75,Kappa =0.80).Conclusions DCEUS could be considered as a novel method to assess vascular invasion of pancreatic carcinoma accurately and reliably.

Objective To establish reference values of normal fetal heart conduction time intervals by tissue Doppler imaging(TDI)and pulsed Doppler(PD)echocardiography,and to assess their correlation with gestational-age and fetal heart rate.Methods One hundred and eighty-nine pregnant women underwent detailed echocardiographic examinations.Atrio-ventricular conduction time interval(AV)and the time interval from onset of ventricular contraction to the onset of atrial contraction of next cardiac cycle(VA)were measured by TDI and PD echocardiography.Results TDI-AV was(126.56±15.33)ms(95% CI 124.10～129.03 ms),TDI-VA was(285.22±24.53)ms(95% CI 281.27～289.16 ms),PD-AV was(127.42±12.88)ms(95% CI 125.35～129.49 ms),PD-VA was(287.42±25.19)ms(95% CI 283.37～291.47 ms).A paired t test revealed no systematic difference between the two approaches used to measure AV and VA.AV and VA were significantly positively correlated with gestational age,and significantly negatively correlated with fetal heart rate.Heart conduction time intervals were altered in fetus with paroxysmal arrhythmia.Conclusions This study established the normal values of fetal heart conduction time intervals.Prenatal determination of fetal heart conductional time intervals has important potential clinical utility in assessing fetal arrhythmia.

Objective To evaluate cardiac function in fetuses with intracardiac hyperechogenic focus (ICEF) by tissue Doppler imaging(TDI).Methods Fetal echocardiography was performed in 335 fetuses for evaluation of fetal cardiac function with ICEF by TDI,two-dimensional,M-mode and pulsed Doppler echocardiography.The ratio between early ventricular filling(E-wave)and active atrial filling(A-wave)peak velocities at the level of the atrioventricularvalves as an index of ventricular diastolic function.TDI mode was used to measure the mitral and tricuspid valve annulus including Em,Am and Sm.The characteristics of fetal echocardiography of 119 fetuses with ICEF were compared with 137 normal fetuses.Results E/A and Em/Am were significantly lower in fetuses with ICEF than in control fetuses.Positive correlation was found between the velocity of orifice and annulus in controls.No systematic differences were found in cardiac dimensions,ventricular shortening fraction,Doppler and TDI systolic indices between groups.Conclusions TDI is feasible and reproducible to evaluate fetal ventricular function,and it can avoid the influence of fetal heart rates and preloading.Fetuses with ICEF show lower Em/Am values in the second to third trimester echocardiography,it might indicate cardiac diastolic dysfunction.