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 evaluate the clinical value of tissue Doppler imaging(TDI)in assessing left ventricular(LV)function after mitral valve replacement(MVR).Methods Forty-five patients having their implantations for more than three months were examined by echocardiography and divided into atrial fibrillation group(AF group,n=21)and sinus rhythm group(SR group,n=24).Thirty normal volunteers served as control group.Left atrium and ventricle indexs of cardiac function and mitral inflow velocity(E)were measured by two dimensional and Doppler echocardiography,and TDI-derived systolic mitral annular velocity(Sm),diastolic mitral annular velocity(Em)and isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT)were measured at the septal and lateral corners of mitral annulus from the apical four-chamber view.Then E/Em ratio was calculated.Results ①Compared with control group,Sm and Em in MVR group were significantly lower and IVRT was higher(P＜0.001),however there were no significant differences between AF group and SR group.② The E/Em ratio in MVR group was significantly higher than that in control group(P＜0.001)and positively correlated with IVRT.The best cutoff value for E/Em ratio was increased of 15 which yielded the sensitivity and specificity in predicting LV diastolic dysfunction were 91.11% and 90.32%,respectively.The area under the ROC curve was 0.9548±0.0402.Conclusions TDI-defived indexes(Sm,Em)can assess LV function accurately and the E/Em ratio,an estimate of myocardial relaxation and LV filling pressures,can be used to evaluate left ventricular diastolic function after MVR.

Objective To assess left ventricular systolic strain in patients with mitral valve replacement (MVR) by speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods Two-dimensional images were acquired from the apical four-chamber view, two-chamber view and long-axis of the left ventricular view in 30 MVR patients (MVR group) and 30 healthy subjects matched by age and gender(control group), and then were analysed off line to evaluate left ventricular systolic strain. The maximum systolic longitudinal strain(LS) of myocardial segments and global longitudinal strain(GLS) were measured in apical views. Left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) was calculated using Simpson's method. The correlation between GLS and LVEF was analyzed using Pearson's method. Results Compared with the control group, LS of corresponding segment and GLS in MVR group decreased significantly (P < 0.01), but there were no statistical differences within MVR group(P>0.05). There was a good linear positive correlation between GLS and LVEF in patients (r = 0.710, P <0.01). Conclusions Speckle tracking eehoeardiography is available for measuring left ventricular systolic strain and estimating global systolic function in patients with MVR. Bull's-eye strain map, created by speckle tracking imaging, can achieve an accurate real-time segmental wall motion analysis.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of color M-mode Doppler echocardiography (CMM) in assessing left ventricular(LV) diastolic function after mitral valve replacement(MVR). Methods Fifty-two patients who had received the implantation for more than three months were examined by echoeardiography (MVR group). Thirty age and sex-adjusted normal volunteers served as control group. Dimensions of left atrium and ventricle,ejection fraction(EF) and mitral inflow velocity(E) were measured by two-dimensional and Doppler eehocardiography. Color M-mode Doppler flow propagation velocity(Vp) and TDl-derived diastolic mitral annular velocity(Em) were measured from the apical four-chamber and two-chamber views. Then two new indexes based on the ratio of E to Vp(E/Vp) and E to Era' (E/Em') were while E/Vp and E/Era' increased, there were significant differences(P <0.01). The correlation coefficient and atrial fibrillation(P <20.01) ,however E/Vp was lower affected hy EF or atrial fibrillation(P >0.05). dysfunction were 2.00. Conclusions CMM is an effective technique to assess LV diastolic function after MVR. E/Vp has good consistency with E/Era and may be a potential useful parameter for assessing LV diastolic function.

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.