Purpose To quantitatively evaluate longitudinal strain and strain rate (SR) of left ventricular (LV) in normal infants and young children using velocity vector imaging (VVI). Materials and Methods A total of 50 normal infants and young children were enrolled in the study. The longitudinal strain peaks and SR peaks in three sections of LV walls during systole period and relaxation period were measured by VVI from apical four-chamber view, apical two-chamber view and long axis view, respectively. Results Forty-one cases (82%) presented a smooth strain curve without incisures and a double peak in SR curve (systolic peak and single diastole peak). The strain in anterior septum and posterior septum, the systolic SRs and diastolic SRs decreased from basal to apical segments. However, only the strain in basal segment and that in apical segment in anterior septum showed statistic difference (t=1.79, P<0.05);the systolic SRs of the same level in different walls and those in the same wall at different levels had no statistic difference (P>0.05). Conclusion Most normal infants and young children present a smooth diastolic strain curve and a double peak SR curve of LV, which can provide clinical guidance in the early diagnosis of myocardial abnormality for infants and young children.

Objective To investigate the application of echocardiography in the diagnosis of neonatal ductus arteriosus aneurysm (DAA).Methods A total of 27 neonates with DAA were detected by echocardiography.Echocardiographic features in these cases were explored and outcome of these neonates were followed up.Results There were four crucial features in DAA detected by echocardiography:① A vessel bump was shown on the left side of the origination of left pulmonary artery(LPA) in the high parasternal short-axis view.②A horizontal shunt jet from the bump to the origination of LPA was shown when interrogate the top of the bump.③The bump joined the descending arota when interrogate it down and back orientately.A ‘V' shaped sign was shown when the aortic arch appeared on the right side and the bump on the left side.④A slow red flow signal was found in bump when the scale of color Doppler was cut down.The follow-up echocardiography showed spontaneous closure of the DAA when 3 months of age except one case lost.There were no abnormality in the figure and function in heart.Conclusions Echocardiography can be a valuable method for the diagnosis of neonatal ductus arteriosus aneurysm.Neonate with DAA have a good outcome.

ObjectiveTo quantitatively assess the texture of carotid soft plaques in patients with or without cerebral infarction using acoustic radiation force imaging(ARFI).MethodsA total of 71 patients with carotid soft plaques were divided into two groups:group A including 31 patients with cerebral infarction and group B including 40 patients without cerebral infarction.ARFI was used to measure the shear wave velocities(SWV) of each soft plaque of the two groups.The results of two groups were compared.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was drawn to assess the diagnostic accuracy.ResultsThe value of SWV between two groups were significantly different ( P =0.027).The sensitivity and specificity of SWV (AUC =0.667,cut-off value =1.262 m/s) in predicting cerebral infarction was 67.7％ and 70.0％ respectively.ConclusionsThe texture of carotid soft plaques can be evaluated quantitatively using ARFI which was strongly related with cerebral infarction.

Objective Three parameters include circumferential strain (CS),circumferential strain rate (CSr) and stiffness parameter (β) were measured to evaluate the elasticity of carotid artery using two-dimensional(2D) strain imaging and evaluate its clinical value in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods 60 patients with T2DM were collected and divided into carotid intima-midia thickness (CIMT) thickeness group(34 cases,1.0 mm＜CIMT≤1.2 mm) and plaque group(26 case,CIMT＞ 1.2 mm).33 normal people were supplied as control group.The systolic global peak CS and CSr of the carotid artery were obtained from short-axis view of the common carotid artery and the stiffness parameters β was measured using 2D strain imaging.All the parameters were compared among the three groups.Results The CS and CSr were decreased and β was increased in patients with T2DM (P ＜ 0.01),The CS and CSr obtained from the plaque group were less than that of the CIMT thickeness group(P ＜0.05),but the β was higher than that of the CIMT thickeness group (P ＜0.01).The CS and β were correlated significantly with CIMT respectively (r =-0.79,P ＜ 0.01 ; r =0.72,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions 2D strain imaging is a technique for early assessing the carotid artery elasticity in patients with T2DM,the thicker the CIMT is,the smaller the deformation is and the larger the β is.

Objective To investigate left ventricular(LV) systolic dyssynchrony in heart failure of different etiology which caused respectively by ischemic heart disease and dilated cardiomyopathy and analyse the correlation between the systolic dyssynchrony index(SDI) and the LV ejection fraction(LVEF). Methods Forty-three subjects were divided into two groups. Group A consisted of 17 heart failure patients which caused by ischemic heart disease and group B included 26 heart failure patients which caused by dilated cardiomyopathy. Three-dimensional datum of left ventricle were obtained using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE) in full volume mode. Post-processing software Qlab was used for advanced analysis. The end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), LVEF and bull eye graph of seventeen segments were obtained. Standard deviation of time-to-minimal-systolic-volume of 16-LV segments corrected by R-R interval was calculated as SDI of LV. Results There was no statistical difference in age, heart rate, LVEF and EDV between the two groups (P >0.05). SDI of group A was lower than that of group B,but there was no statistical difference between them (P>0.05). Bull eye graph of seventeen segments revealed that the distribution of delayed systolic segments were different between the two groups. SDI of two groups appeared negative correlation with LVEF(r = -0.83, r = -0.71, P-< 0.01). Conclusions LV systolic dyssynchrony existed in heart failure which caused by ischemic heart disease and dilated cardiomyopathy,but the distribution of delayed systolic segments were different between them. SDI increased with worsening LV systolic function.

Objective To assess the effects of QRS duration on left ventricular systolic synchronicity in patients with heart failure by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography(RT-3DE).Methods Thirty-four patients with heart failure(LVEF≤35%)were selected and divided into two groups.Group A consisted of 20 patients with normal QRS duration,and group B included 14 patients with long ORS duration.All the patients underwent two-dimensional echocardiography(2DE)and RT-3DE respectively.Parameters including left ventricular inlernal diameter(LVIDd),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)of 2DE,and left ventricular endsystolic volume(LVESV),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),LVEF,the time to minimal systolic volume of 16-segmental standard deviation as a ratio of R-R interval(Tmsv16-sd/RR)of RT-3DE were obtained and analyzed between the two groups.Results There were no significant differences of LVIDd,LVEF acquired by 2DE between the two groups(P＞0.05);LVESV,LVEDV,Tmsv16-sd/RR of RT-3DE were slightly higher in group B than those in group A,but didn't reach the significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).The mechanical dyssynchrony maybe related to the severity of heart failure.Conclusions RT-3DE can quantify global left ventricular systolic synchronicity.QRS duration has no significant effect on left ventricular systolic synchronicity in patients with heart failure.