To evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) as a non-invasive method in recording distal anterior descending (LAD) coronary flow velocity, we compared coronary flow reserve (CFR) measured by TTDE with measurements by intracoronary Doppler wire (ICDW). Twenty-one patients without LAD stenosis were studied. ICDW performed at baseline and after intracoronary injection of 18 microg adenosine. TTDE was performed at baseline and after intravenous adenosine (140 microg/kgmin for 2 min). Adequate Doppler recordings of coronary flow velocities during systole were obtained in 14 of 21 study patients (67%) and during diastole in 17 (81%) patients. Baseline and hyperemic peak diastolic flow velocities measured by TTDE were significantly smaller than those obtained by ICDW (p<0.05). However, diminishing trends of diastolic and systolic velocity ratio after hyperemia were similarly observed in both methods. CFR obtained by TTDE (3.0+/-0.5), was higher than the value calculated by ICDW (2.5+/-0.4). There were significant correlations between the values obtained by the two methods (r=0.72, p<0.01). It is concluded that TTDE is a feasible method in measuring coronary flow velocity and appears to be a promising non-invasive method in evaluating CFR.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Comparative Study ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Circulation* ; Coronary Disease/ultrasonography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler/standards ; Echocardiography, Doppler/methods* ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Human ; Hyperemia/ultrasonography ; Linear Models ; Male ; Middle Age ; Prospective Studies ; Reproducibility of Results

This study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of coronary arterial profiles from normal dogs (11 animals) and canines (six dogs) with experimental myocardial infarction (MI) induced by ligation of the left coronary artery (LCA). Blood velocity of the LCA and right coronary artery (RCA) were evaluated following transthoracic pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography. The LCA was observed as an infundibular shape, located adjacent to the sinus of Valsalva. The RCA appeared as a tubular structure located 12 o'clock relative to the aorta. In normal dogs, the LCA and RCA mean peak diastolic velocities were 20.84 +/- 3.24 and 19.47 +/- 2.67 cm/sec, respectively. The LCA and RCA mean diastolic deceleration times were 0.91 +/- 0.14 sec and 1.13 +/- 0.20 sec, respectively. In dogs with MI, the LCA had significantly (p < 0.01) lower peak velocities (14.82 +/- 1.61 cm/sec) than the RCA (31.61 +/- 2.34 cm/sec). The RCA had a significantly (p < 0.01) rapid diastolic deceleration time (0.71 +/- 0.06 sec) than that found in the LCA (1.02 +/- 0.22 sec) of MI dogs. In conclusion, these profiles may serve as a differential factor for evaluating cardiomyopathy in dogs.
Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity/*veterinary ; Coronary Vessels/surgery/*ultrasonography ; Dog Diseases/*diagnosis ; Dogs/*physiology ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed/standards/*veterinary ; Female ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction/diagnosis/*veterinary

To determine normal values for Doppler parameters of left ventricular function, ascending aortic blood flow velocity was measured by pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography in 63 healthy children with body surface area (BSA) <1 m(2) (age <10 yr). Peak velocity was independent of sex, but increased with body size. Mean acceleration was related to peak velocity (r=0.75, p<0.0001). Both stroke distance and ejection time had strong negative correlations with heart rate and positive correlations with BSA, suggesting that these parameters should be evaluated in relation to heart rate and body size. Mean intra- and interobserver variability for peak velocity, ejection time, stroke and minute distance ranged from 3 to 7%, whereas variability for acceleration time was 9 to 13%. These data may be used as reference values for the assessment of hemodynamic states in young children with cardiac disease.
Age Factors ; Aorta/*physiology ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Body Constitution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography, Doppler/*standards/statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Human ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Observer Variation ; Reference Values ; Stroke Volume