Objective To validate the accuracy of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography(RT3DE) in measuring spatial geometric parameters of mitral annulus.Methods Hearts in vivo of nine healthy hybrid canines were examined by RT 3DE.Three-dimensional full-volume images of mitral annuli were acquired.The annuli were annotated and measured by TomTec 4D MV-assessment software and MATLAB.The distance between anterolateral and posteromedial commissure (commissure-commissure, CC),septolateral distance (septal-lateral, SL) and height (H) of mitral annulus were measured.Parameters correlation coefficients of CC,SL and H derived by two methods were 0.83( P＜0.01),0.78( P＜0.05)well consistent with anatomic measurements, the mean differences of CC, SL and H between two methods were 0.22 cm,0.12 cm and-0.08 cm respectively.Conclusions RT-3DE is feasible in measuring mitral annulus, which provided a convenient, accurate and reliable new method for quantitative assessing annulus geometry configuration.

Objective To evaluate peak left ventricular(LV) apical rotation velocity during early diastole by speckle tracking echocardiography in normal peopleand patients with myocardial hypertrophy because of hypertension. Methods Two dimensional images of left basal and apical ventricular short axis view were recorded in 20 healthy people and 20 patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH). Rotation velocity-time curves of six segments in LV apex and base were obtained using Qlab software. The peak rotation velocity in early diastole of LV apex(A-Vel) and base (B-Vel) were acquired through Excel software. Results In LVH group,A-Vel was significantly decreased(P<0. 05) while B-Vel appeared no difference (P = 0.58) compared with healthy individuals. Conclusions Peak LV apical rotation velocity in early diastole can evaluate the change of LV diastolic function in patients with hypertension and LVH.

The recently introduced real-time three-dimensional color Doppler flow imaging (RT-3D CDFI) technique provides a quick and accurate calculation of regurgitant jet volume (RJV) and fraction. In order to evaluate RT-3D CDFI in the noninvasive assessment of aortic RJV and regurgitant jet fraction (RJF) in patients with isolated aortic regurgitation, real-time three-dimensional echocardiographic studies were performed on 23 patients with isolated aortic regurgitation to obtain LV end-diastolic volumes (LVEDV), end-systolic volumes (LVESV) and RJV, and then RJF could be calculated. The regurgitant volume (RV) and regurgitant fraction (RF) calculated by two-dimensional pulsed Doppler (2D-PD) method served as reference values. The results showed that aortic RJV measured by the RT-3D CDFI method showed a good correlation with the 2D-PD measurements (r = 0.93, Y = 0.89X + 3.9, SEE = 8.6 mL, P < 0.001); the mean (SD) difference between the two methods was--1.5 (9.8) mL. % RJF estimated by the RT-3D CDFI method was also correlated well with the values obtained by the 2D-PD method (r = 0.88, Y = 0.71X + 14.8, SEE = 6.4%, P < 0.001); the mean (SD) difference between the two methods was--1.2 (7.9) %. It was suggested that the newly developed RT-3D CDFI technique was feasible in the majority of patients. In patients with eccentric aortic regurgitation, this new modality provides additional information to that obtained from the two-dimensional examination, which overcomes the inherent limitations of two-dimensional echocardiography by depicting the full extent of the jet trajectory. In addition, the RT-3D CDFI method is quick and accurate in calculating RJV and RJF.
Aortic Valve Insufficiency/*ultrasonography ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional

0.05 ). The average enhancement rate of LV endocardial border was 96.6 %. The myocardial contrast agent perfusions of left ventricular walls were clearly visualized in 30 patients. CONCLUSION: Clinical application of intravenous left heart contrast echocardiagraphy with perfluoropropane-albumin microsphere is feasibility and effective.

The application of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT 3DE) in the diagnosis of double orifice mitral valve (DOMV) was explored. Five cases of DOMV were examined by using 2-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) and RT 3DE. The spatial morphology of malformed mitral valve and its change in hemodynamics were observed. DOMV associated with partial atrioventricular septal defect was found in 3 cases (in which 2 cases had cleft mitral valve) and isolated DOMV in 2 cases; and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation was detected in 3 cases, and mild mitral regurgitation in 1, and no regurgitation in 1 case; 1 case had complicated rhumatic heart disease. Three cases were preoperatively discovered by 2DE, while 2 missed (1 case was discovered postoperatively). Four cases were diagnosed by RT 3DE preoperatively, and 1 case was diagnosed postoperatively (not examined by RT 3DE preoperatively). It was suggested that RT 3DE is a reliable technique in the diagnosis of DOMV; it permitted comprehensive and noninvasive assessment of mitral valve and may supplement 2D TTE in the assessment of DOMV.

Objective To evaluate the collateral circulation after canine acute coronary artery occlusion with contrast real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE). Methods Left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated in 12 healthy mongrel dogs. All dogs underwent myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) before ligation, immediately after ligation, at 30 min and 180 min after ligation respectively, and myocardial mass with collateral supply was calculated. Results Different degrees of collateral circulation were established in all dogs after left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. At 30 min after ligation, the myocardial mass with collateral supply was (9.65±2.90) g, while at 180 min after ligation were (12.58±3.98) g (P<0.01). Conclusion The coronary collateral circulation can be observed clearly and myocardial mass with collateral supply can be quantified accurately with contrast RT-3DE.

The recently introduced real-time three-dimensional color Doppler flow imaging (RT-3D CDFI) technique provides a quick and accurate calculation of regurgitant jet volume (RJV) and fraction. In order to evaluate RT-3D CDFI in the noninvasive assessment of aortic RJV and regurgitant jet fraction (RJF) in patients with isolated aortic regurgitation, real-time three-dimensional echocardiographic studies were performed on 23 patients with isolated aortic regurgitation to obtain LV end-diastolic volumes (LVEDV), end-systolic volumes (LVESV) and RJV, and then RJF could be calculated. The regurgitant volume (RV) and regurgitant fraction (RF) calculated by two-dimensional pulsed Doppler (2D-PD) method served as reference values. The results showed that aortic RJV measured by the RT-3D CDFI method showed a good correlation with the 2D-PD measurements (r=0.93, Y=0.89X+3.9, SEE=8.6 mL, P＜0. 001) ; the mean (SD) difference between the two methods was -1.5 (9.8) mL. % RJF estimated by the RT-3D CDFI method was also correlated well with the values obtained by the 2D-PD method (r=0.88, Y=0.71X+14. 8, SEE=6.4 %, P＜0. 001) ; the mean (SD) difference between the two methods was - 1.2 (7.9) %. It was suggested that the newly developed RT-3D CDFI technique was feasible in the majority of patients. In patients with eccentric aortic regurgitation, this new modality provides additional information to that obtained from the two-dimensional examination, which overcomes the inherent limitations of two-dimensional echocardiography by depicting the full extent of the jet trajectory. In addition, the RT-3D CDFI method is quick and accurate in calculating RJV and RJF.

The application of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT 3DE) in the diagnosis of double orifice mitral valve (DOMV) was explored. Five cases of DOMV were examined by using 2-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) and RT 3DE. The spatial morphology of malformed mitral valve and its change in hemodynamics were observed. DOMV associated with partial atrioventricular septal defect was found in 3 cases (in which 2 cases had cleft mitral valve) and isolated DOMV in 2 cases; and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation was detected in 3 cases, and mild mitral regurgitation in 1, and no regurgitation in 1 case; 1 case had complicated rhumatic heart disease.Three cases were preoperatively discovered by 2DE, while 2 missed (1 case was discovered postoperatively). Four cases were diagnosed by RT 3DE preoperatively, and 1 case was diagnosed postoperatively (not examined by RT 3DE preoperatively). It was suggested that RT 3DE is a reliable technique in the diagnosis of DOMV; it permitted comprehensive and noninvasive assessment of mitral valve and may supplement 2D TTE in the assessment of DOMV.