Objective To investigate the hemodynamic characteristics of superior thyroid artery and its corresponding clinical significance with patients of Graves'hyperthyroidism.Methods Thirty patients with Graves'hyperthyroidism received Doppler ultrasonography.Patients were grouped with different serologic indices at 4 month after radioiodine therapy as relief(R),uncured(U)and hypothyroidism(H).The relationships between thyroid volume(V),superior thyroid artery peak systolic velocity(PSV),end diastolic velocity(EDV),RI,PI and systolic accelerating time(SAT)and the 4-month outcome were analyzed respectively.Results Besides the effect of 24 h-131I uptake rate on patients'short-term outcome,V,PSV and RI were of predominate prognosis value(P＜0.01).PSV and V of group R were positively correlated with 131I dose respectively(r1=0.825,r2=0.697;P＜0.001),while SAT of group R was negatively correlated with 131I dose(r=-0.489,P＜0.05).Conclusions Patients with high V,PSV and RI maybe still suffering hyperthyroidism after regular dosage of 131I therapy.Doses of 131I should be added appropriately for patients with high PSV and V,but short SAT to achieve complete remission,while it should be reduced for patients in opposite condition to avoid occurrence of hypothyroidism.

Objective To evaluate left ventricular regional systolic myocardial function quantitatively before and after coronary artery bypass graft(CABG) in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD) by strain rate imaging(SRI),and determine the effect of CABG.The diagnostic value of two-dimensional echocardiography(2-DE) method and SRI parameter method was compared.Methods The values of systolic strain rate(SRs) at 9 segments supplied by left anteior descending were measured in study group(20 patients with CAD) at 1 d before and 10 d,1 month,3 months and 6 months after CABG.The regional myocardial function befose CABG was analyzed and compared with that of controls,and abnormal segments were found.Then the values of these abnormal segments before and after CABG were compared.Results In control group,SRs displayed a wide and negative peak and was homogeneous in every segments.The SRs peak values decreased,and the homogeneity disappeared in study group.Beginning from 1 month after CABG,the SRs peak values at the graft segments increased in varying degrees,and there was significant difference at basal segments of anterior wall,middle segments of anteroseptal,and middle segments of posteroseptal in the different periods(P

The combination of medical humanistic spirit and medical scientific spirit is the sign of the maturity of medicine.The modern medical mode of ' biology-psychology-society-environment' sets new requirements for medical humanistic education.Clinic medical postgraduates,the front -line medical workers,play a very important role in medical work,but they show huge deficiency in interpersonal communication,humanistic knowledge and humanistic possession nowadays.The paper tried to draw some lessons from the successful education mode of George Washington university and discussed practicable methods to improve humanistic education among medical postgraduates aiming at cultivating qualified medical workers who have both noble medical ethics and perfect medical technology and ability.

Objective To assess the value of high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound technique combined with hemorheology in detecting early atherosclerosis and monitoring its progression.Methods Twenty-four white big ear rabbits were divided into two groups randomly.Group A (6 rabbits) was fed normal rabbit chow,while group B (18 rabbits) was fed high cholesterol diet and was divided into three subgroups: B1(6 rabbits) with high cholesterol diet for 4 weeks,B2(6 rabbits) for 8 weeks,B3(6 rabbits) for 12 weeks.Intima-media thickness (IMT),diameter of common carotid artery and hemorheology index were observed dynamically and compared with the findings of histological examination.Results IMT of common carotid artery increased gradually in group B at different phases of atherosclerosis.Diameter compensationally enlarged at the early stage,and then stenosed with the progression of atherosclerosis.RBC deformation index of group B began reducing in the second week,but blood viscosity,plasma viscosity,RBC aggregation index and rigidity index gradually increased from the fourth week( P

Objective To evaluate the value of dual‐Doppler imaging technology (referred to as dual‐Doppler modality for short) in assessing left ventricular diastolic function in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) .Methods A total of 40 patients with AF and normal LVEF were enrolled as the AF group ,and 40 healthy volunteers were composed of the control group .①Peak early diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E) and tissue Doppler lateral (L ) mitral annular early diastolic velocity (e′) were measured simultaneously in the particular cardiac cycle by dual‐Doppler modality .②Peak early diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E) and tissue Doppler septal (S) mitral annular early diastolic velocity (e′) were measured simultaneously in the particular cardiac cycle .③ Peak early diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E) and color M‐mode Doppler flow propagation velocity (Vp) were measured simultaneously in the particular cardiac cycle .Then E/e′(L) ,E/e′(S) and E/Vp were calculated , respectively .Results Compared to the control group ,E/e′(L) ,E/e′(S)and E/Vp were all higher in AF group ( P <0 0.5) .Bland‐Altman showed that E/e′(L) ,E/e′(S)and E/Vp measured by the dual‐Doppler modality had better reproducibility and higher intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) than the conventional Doppler modality .Conclusions The dual‐Doppler modality is valuable for evaluating left ventricular diastolic function in patients with AF and has better reproducibility and more accurate results than the conventional Doppler modality .

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of atrial septal aneurysm(ASA)and the value of echocardiography in detecting ASA. Methods One hundred and fifty-one patients with ASA diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) or transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) were analyzed retrospectively.The patients were divided into two groups:group Ⅰ included 57 patients who had experience of transient ischaemic attack(TIA)or cerebral shock and group Ⅱ included 94 age-and sexmatched patients without those cerebral ischemic event who underwent echocardiography during the same period of time. The following parameters of the ASA were measured:maximal excursion or protrusionbeyond the plane of the atrial septum,direction of protrusion,thickness of the wall,presence of theombi attaching to the wall and other structural abnormalities associated with ASA. Results One hundred and thirty-two of 151 cases(87.42%) located at fossa ovalis of atrial septum. The wall thickness of ASA increased with depth.The extent of bulging and thinkness of wall in group Ⅰ were greater than those in group Ⅱ and more patent foramen ovale(PFO)were observed in group Ⅰ. However,no difference was found in direction of protrusion and incidence of oscillations between the two groups. As to the performance of the two techniques in the evaluation of ASA,TEE showed better result than TTE. Conclusions Echocardiography is a reliable means to detect ASA and its complications. Greater maximal excursion and thicker aneurysm wall of ASA is associated with a higher risk of cerebral ischaemic event.

Objective To quantitatively assess left ventricular systolic function in rabbits with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) by quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI). Methods Thirty rabbits were divided into two groups: group A(adriamycin group) and group B(sodium chloride group). Group A( n = 20) were given adriamycin 2 mg/kg intravenously once a week for eight weeks (total dose, 16 mg/kg) to induce DCM model, group B were given with the same dose of sodium chloride injection solution. Two dimensional echocardiography and QTVI examination were performed in all rabbits before and three weeks after the administration,respectively. Peak systolic velocity(Vs), peak displacement(D) and other common parameters were analyzed. Results Common parameters assessed after administration in group B did not show significant changes. The QTVI curves of left ventricle myocardium were regular and the value of Vs and D decreased gradually from the basal segments to the apical segments after the administration. The diameters of atrium and ventricle of group A increased,while the ejection fraction and fractional shortening of left ventricle decreased significantly ( P <0. 05 or P < 0.01). The pattern of the curves still had the regularity. But Vs and D value decreased significantly ( P <0. 05 or P <0. 01). Pathology of myocardium samples of group A showed the cardiomyocyte changes like dilated cardiomyopathy, while samples of group B had no significant change. Conclusions QTVI can accurately evaluate regional systolic function of left ventricle in rabbits with dilated cardiomyopathy, therefore provides experimental foundation for clinical observation and treatment.

Objective To evaluate the capability of strain rate imaging(SRI)for monitoring regional systolic deformation and synchronicity of left ventricle after coronary artery bypass graft(CABG)and for evaluating effect of surgery and predicting restenosis.Methods The values of systolic strain rate(SRsys),systolic strain(Ssys)and post systolic strain index(PSI)in 5 segments supplied by left anterior descending coronary artery were measured in study group(60 patients with coronary artery disease)at 1 day before and 10 days,1 month,3 months and 6 months after CABG.Forty healthy participants served as a baseline control group.The regional myocardial function before and after CABG was compared and analyzed.Results The peak values of SRsys and Ssys decreased before CABG in study group.In 52 of the 60 patients,SRsys and Ssys in the graft segments increased gradually and showed statistical significance in most studied segments at 3 and 6 months after surgery.In the above 52 patients,value of PSI increased before CABG and reduced significantly in all analyzed segments at 6 months after surgery.The restenosis of graft artery was suspected in 8 patients by SRI and the positive predictive value was 75%.The diagnosis sensitivity of SRI parameter method was higher than that of 2-dimensional echocardiography and the sensitivity of Ssys was higher than that of SRsys.Conclusions SRI can be used to quantitatively assess the regionsl systolic deformation and synchronicity and monitor the improvement of myocardial function after CABG and determine the effect of surgery and predict restenosis of graft artery.

Objective To analyze right ventrieular diastolic dysfunction in essential hypertension by quantitative tissue velocity imaging(QTVI). Methods Twenty normotensives and forty-five hypertensives underwent standard Doppler echocardiography and QTVI of right ventricular lateral tricuspid annulus. By QTVI,diastolic measurements were obtained. According to WHO standard, the patients with hypertension were classified into three groups, grade Ⅰ (group Ⅰ) 15 cases, grade Ⅱ(group Ⅱ) 15 cases, grade Ⅲ (group Ⅲ) 15 cases. Results Pulsed Doppler eehocardiography showed impaired Doppler diastolic indexes in hypertensives, without changes among the eases groups. In all hypertension groups, QTVI showed reduction of right ventricular Ea, increase of Aa and Ea/Aa<1 comparison with controls. IVRT of Ⅱ, Ⅲgroups was longer than normal. Conclusions Right ventricular diastolic function with essential hypertension decreased according to the degree of staging. QTVI has a greater predictive value than conventional imaging, and is useful for evaluating right ventricular function in patients with essential hypertension.

Objective To investigate the global and regional dyssynchrony of left ventricle in patients with coronary artery disease before and after revascularization by tissue synchronization imaging(TSI).Methods Subjects with the left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD)stenosis＞75% who underwent revascularization(n=26)and normal controls(n=30)were studied with TSI.Echocardiography was performed one day before revascularization,then repeated one month and three month after the operation,respectively.The sample volumes were located at the mid-myocardium of base and middle segments in apical four-,two- and three-chamber view of left ventricle.The time-to-peak velocity(Tp)of all myocardial segments were examined to access the regional dyssynchrony,and the standard deviations of Tp of 12 segments(TSD)were calculated to evaluate the global dyssynchrony.Results Before revascularization,Tp of segments in the anterior wall and the interventricutar septum in patients were more delayed than those of control group(P＜0.01),and the color coding of ischemic segments were red and yellow.After operation,Tp of delayed segments were significant improved,and the color coding turn to yellow or even green,but there was still significant difference of Tp between disease group and control group(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05).TSD decreased gradually on the preoperatative,early postoperative,and later postoperative echocardiogram,and it on each time point of the disease group were all longer than that of control group.An improvement of TSD was observed after revascularization,especially for the three month examination(P＜0.01),but the difference between early and later postoperation was not significant(P＞0.05).Conclusions The asynchronous motion of LV is very obvious in CAD patients.After revascularization,both global and regional dyssynchrony were improved gradually.Moreover,TSI is a convenient and non-invasive way to quantitate left ventricular asynchrony with the parameters.