Objective To evaluate left ventricular torsion in patients after coronary artery bypass graft(CABG) surgery by velocity vector imaging(VVI). Methods Twelve patients who were scheduled to have CABG surgery were enrolled. VVI offline software was used to evaluate myocardial rotation in both basal and apical segment before and three months after CABG. The rotation and rotation rate of each a counterclockwise rotation at the apex and a clockwise rotation at the base, and the absolute value of CABG the rotation at the base was significantly improved than that before CABG (P <0.001), and the rotation in the segment of anterior septum, anterior wail and inferior septum at the base was higher than that rotation in the apical and basal segment three months after CABG was also significantly higher than that negative peak rotation rate in the early diastolic period at the apex were significantly higher than those at the improved than that before CABG (P <0.001). And the positive peak rotation of the systolic period in the segment of anterior septum,anterior wall,lateral wall and inferior septum and the negative peak rotation of the diastolic period in the segment of anterior and inferior septum at the base were also higher than those before CABG (P <0.001). Conclusions VVI is a useful method which can quantitatively assess left ventrieular torsion in patients before and after CABG surgery.

Objective To assess whether echocardiographic parameters of M-mode,pulsed-wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging which were usually used for selecting cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) candidates could predict CRT responders.Methods Twenty-nine patients with NYHA class Ⅲ or Ⅳ heart failure,left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)≤35%,QRS≥130 ms were enrolled.All of them underwent biventricular pacemaker implantation.The septal-to-posterior wall motion delay(SPWMD) from M-mode recording,and the standard deviation of time to peak systolic velocity(Ts-SD) were used to evaluate intraventricular dyssynchrony.The interventricular mechanical delay (IVMD) by pulsed Doppler echocardiography was calculated by subtracting the right ventricular preejection intervals (RV-PEI:the onset of the QRS on the electrocardiogram to the onset of pulmonary outflow) from the left ventricular preejection intervals (LV-PEI:the onset of the QRS on the electrocardiogram to the onset of aortic outflow).At least 15 % reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV) at the 6-month after CRT was defined as responder.Results In the 29 patients,there were 20 (68.97%) responders.The area under the receiver operating curve(ROC) of SPWMD,Ts-SD,LV-PEI,RV-PEI and IVMD to predict CRT responders was 0.448 (95% CI 0.184-0.712,P＞0.05),0.557 (95% CI 0.317-0.798,P＞0.05),0.479 (95% CI 0.186-0.773,P＞0.05),0.568 (95 % CI 0.272-0.863,P＞0.05) and 0.411 (95% CI0.136-0.687,P＞0.05),respectively.Conclusions M-mode echocardiography,pulsed Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging failed to predict CRT responders.New echocardiographic techniques including threedimensional echocardiography and speckle tracking image will be investigated,and may improve the predictive power.

Objective Cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT) by simultaneous biventricular pacing improves left ventricular systolic synchrony in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM). Tissue synchronization imaging(TSI) technique was used to evaluate the impact of sequential CRT with individualized interventricular delay programming.Methods TSI was carried out in five patients with DCM and left bundle branch block before and one day after pacemaker implantation in four chamber view,two chamber view and apical long aixs view and in two patients with DCM before pacemaker implantation.Results Three patients with DCM showed that left ventricular asynchrony was improved afetr CRT,but two patients with DCM showed left ventricular asynchrony was not improved after CRT.CRT was not performed in one patient with DCM due to ventricular systolic resynchronization,one patient with DCM did not have CRT because LVEF was 42%.Conclusions TSI is useful in predicting and evaluating the effect of CRT in the patients with DCM.

Objective To evaluate left ventricular systolic synchrony in patients with Ⅲ grade atrio-ventricular block(Ⅲ grade AVB) after pacemaker implantation by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography. Methods Methods Twelve patients with Ⅲ grade AVB implanted by VVI pacemaker, seven patients with Ⅲ grade AVB implanted by DDD pacemaker, twenty subjects with normal LV function were examined by Philips iE33 with a X3-1 probe. Results The minimal excursion in patients with Ⅲ grade AVB implanted by VVI pacemaker and DDD pacemaker was less than that in subjects with normal LV function (P <0.05) ,and two "bull eyes" displayed that some regional systolic timing delayed or ahead, but also some regional systolic excursion hypokinesis or dykinesis. Parameter index [including Tmsv 16-SD, Tmsv 12-SD, Tmsv 6-SD, Tmsv 16-Dif, Tmsv 12-Dif, Tmsv 6-Dif, Tmsv 16-SD (%), Tmsv 12-SD (%), Tmsv 6-SD (%), Tmsv 16-Dif (%), Tmsv 12-Dif (%), Tmsv 6-Dif(%)] of 17 segment time to minimal systolic volume in patients with Ⅲ grade AVB implanted by VVI pacemaker and DDD pacemaker was more than that in subjects with normal LV function (all P < 0.05). Conclusions Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography can rapidly evaluate left ventricular systolic synchrony in patients with Ⅲ grade AVB implanted by DDD pacemaker and VVI pacemaker.

Objective To evaluate the impact of maintenance hemodialysis(MHD) on left ventricular(LV) strains via layer-specific speckle-tracking imaging (LSTI).Methods Twenty-eight MHD patients and 28 matched controls were enrolled in the study.Conventional echocardiography and LSTI were performed on patients before and shortly after one hemodialysis session,as well as on controls.Results LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) were markedly reduced after one session of HD [(52.3±22.4)ml/m2 vs (55.0±15.3)ml/m2,P=0.033],but still larger than the control group (47.4±6.4) ml/m2.LV ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased in MHD patients after HD [(62.5±8.1)% vs (64.6±7.3)%,P=0.06],which was similar to those in the control group (66.0±4.2)% and in MHD patient before HD (P=0.391).The three layer circumferential and longitudinal strains decreased in the order of the control group,patients before HD and after HD [CS-endo:(-26.3±3.6)% vs (-22.2±4.7)% vs (-19.2±5.4)%;CS-mid:(-19.0±2.7)% vs (-15.3±3.5)% vs (-13.0±3.8)%;CS-epi:(-11.1±2.3)% vs (-8.0±2.6)% vs (-6.5±2.3)%;LS-endo:(-23.7±3.0)% vs (-18.6±3.6)% vs (-16.4±4.5)%;LS-mid:(-20.9±2.7)% vs (-16.3±3.1)% vs (-14.0±4.1)%;LS-epi:(-18.4±2.4)% vs (-14.1±2.8)% vs (-12.0±3.6)%;all P<0.01],while the synchrony index,standard deviation of times to peak longitudinal strain,increased in these three groups [(3.6±1.0)% vs (6.3±1.5)% vs (7.5±2.2)%,all P<0.01].Linear correlation analysis showed ultrafiltration volume was negatively related with the difference of longitudinal strains before and after HD (difference of LS-endo:r=-0.428,P=0.023;difference of LS-mid:r=-0.423,P=0.025;difference of LS-epi:r=-0.422,P=0.025).Conclusions One session of HD may have injurious effects on LV strains and systolic synchrony.The reduction of ultrafiltration volumes may be helpful to protect cardiomyocytes.

The prevalence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in adults is up to 20％-25％.PFO is associated with cryptogenic stroke in young patients,transient ischemic attack and several other diseases.Echocardiography plays a critically important role in screening of PFO,guidance during percutaneous intervention and follow up.The diagnosis of PFO by echocardiography were reviewed in this article.

Objective To quantitatively evaluate left ventricular layer-specific strain using speckle tracking imaging,and their relationship with age and gender in nornal subj ects.Methods GE Vivid E9 equipment with EchoPAC BT1 2 workstation were used.One hundred and nineteen healthy subj ects were enrolled in this study.Results Left ventricular global longitudinal and circumferential strain was highest in the endocardium and lowest in the epicardium.Longitudinal and circumferential 3-layer strain was highest in the apex and lowest in the base.Age and gender had little influence on the left ventricular layer-specific strain.Conclusions Speckle tracking imaging can quantitatively assess left ventricular layer-specific strain, providing another useful modality for evaluating cardiac function.

Objective To evaluate right ventricular (RV) global and regional systolic function using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE) in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH).Methods Thirty patients with PH and 27 controls were studied.RT-3DE images were acquired on a Philipa iE33 system with an X3-1 probe,then analyzed with a new software(TomTec) to determine RV global and regional (inflow, body, outflow) end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV) and ejection fraction (EF).The difference of RT-3DE parameters between the two groups,as well as the correlation between RT-3DE and routine echoeardiography parameters was analyzed.Results In patients with PH ,RV global and regional EDV and ESV were significantly higher than those in normal controls (all P ＜0.05); RV global and regional EF were significantly lower than those in normal controls (all P ＜0.05).In the PH group, RV inflow EDV,SV and EF were higher than that of RV body and outflow part (P ＜ 0.05) ;RV global EF was lower than that of RV inflow part and higher than that of RV body and outflow part.In the PH group, RV global and inflow EF correlated with pulmonary artery systolic pressure negatively (r = - 0.611, P ＜0.001 and r = - 0.576, P = 0.001 ,respectively) ,and with the ratio of peak velocity of tricuspid regurgitation over outflow time-velocity integral negatively (r = -0.772, P = 0.002and r = -0.721, P ＜0.001, respectively)Conclusions RV global and regional volume was enlarged and systolic function was impaired in patients with pulmonary hypertension.RV global and regional systolic function was changed in liner relationship with RV after-load.

ObjectiveTo evaluate left ventricular (LV) function and dyssynchrony in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB) by three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(3D STI).Methods3D STI was performed and analyzed using TomTec 4-D LV analysis 3.0 software in 37 DCM patients with CLBBB and 25 healthy volunteers.The global 3D,longitudinal,circumferential,radial strains were measured.LV dyssynchrony was evaluated by the standard deviation of time to peak from 3D strain of 16 segments related to the heart cycle(3D-SDI).ResultsIn control group,uniformity in the average value of 3D strain was observed between apical,mid-ventricular and basal levels (P ＞ 0.05).Global 3D,longitudinal,radial and circumferential strains had excellent correlations with LV ejection fraction ( r =- 0.92,- 0.84,- 0.78 and 0.81,respectively,P ＜0.01).Compared with control group,global 3D,longitudinal,radial and circumferential strains were significantly lower in DCM patients ( P ＜0.01 for all).3D-SDI in DCM patients with CLBBB was significantly longer than that of volunteers ( P ＜0.01).3D-SDI increased with worsening LV systolic function regardless of QRS duration (P ＜0.05).ConclusionsWhen image quality is optimal,3D STI represents a promising novel technique for assessment of global LV function and dyssynchrony.

Objective To evaluate peak rotation in the endocardium(endo)and epicardium(epi)and peak mural torsion in patients with anterior wall acute myocardial infarction(AMI)before and after revascularization by speckle tracking imaging(STI).Methods The study comprised 20 normal controls and 21 consecutive xpatients with a first-episode anterior wall AMI with stenosis of the left anterior descending artery.All patients underwent Successful percutaneous coronary intervention within 12h onset of AMI.During one month, two patients were ruled OUt because one died of heart failure and the other suffered from persistent atrial fibrillation.Conventional echocardiography and STI were performed in normal controls and AMI patients before and one month after revascularization.Results In the left ventricle(LV)apical and basal level,peak endo-and epi-rotation and peak mural torsion in AMI patients were significantly reduced relative to those of normal control group(all P<0.01).One month after revascularization,there were significant changes in these three variables,especially in peak endorotation(P<0.01).Peak apical endo-rotation positively correlated with LV ejection fraction(LVEF)(r=0.717,P<0.01)and inversely correlated with LV end-diastolic volume(EDV)(r=-0.694,P<0.05).However,tight relations were not found among other variables at the two planes.Conclusions Peak endo-and epi-rotation and peak mural torsion can make the sensitive assessment of abnormal myocardial contractile performancein AMI patients using STI.