Authors’ Reply
We appreciate the comments of Drs. Hahn and Pibarot regarding left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) measurement in our focused update of the recommendations on the echocardiographic assessment of severe aortic…
In Memoriam: Richard E. Kerber, MD, FASE
Richard E. Kerber MD, FASE Richard E. (Dick) Kerber died on November 8, 2016. He was 77 years of age. Dick was the 11 th President of the American Society of…
Increased Coronary Tortuosity Is Associated with Increased Left Ventricular Longitudinal Myocardial Shortening
Background The mechanistic basis for tortuosity of the coronary arteries (TCA) is unclear. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the relative degree of systolic longitudinal…
Echocardiographic Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness Is Associated with Symptomatic Coronary Vasospasm during Provocative Testing
Background Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the ectopic visceral fat surrounding the heart, which plays an important role in atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries via endothelial damage. Several studies have…
Echocardiographic Prediction of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Response Requires Analysis of Both Mechanical Dyssynchrony and Right Ventricular Function: A Combined Analysis of Patient Data and Computer Simulations
Background Pronounced echocardiographically measured mechanical dyssynchrony is a positive predictor of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), whereas right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a negative predictor. The aim of this…
Left Ventricular Lead Position Guided by Parametric Strain Echocardiography Improves Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Background There is still a significant proportion of patients with heart failure who fail to improve after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The investigators used parametric two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography with polar…
Quantification of Pulmonary Regurgitation by Vector Flow Mapping in Congenital Heart Patients after Repair of Right Ventricular Outflow Obstruction: A Preliminary Study
Background Vector flow mapping (VFM) enables direct visualization of flow pattern and estimation of flow volume. The aim of this study was to determine its accuracy in the quantification of…
Sustained Chronic Maternal Hyperoxygenation Increases Myocardial Deformation in Fetuses with a Small Aortic Isthmus at Risk for Coarctation
Background We aimed to assess differences in myocardial deformation in fetuses at risk for coarctation (CoA) and the effects of maternal hyperoxygenation on deformation. Methods Fetal echocardiography and velocity vector…
Doppler Parameters Derived from Transthoracic Echocardiography Accurately Detect Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve Dysfunction
Background Detecting bioprosthetic mitral valve dysfunction on transthoracic echocardiography can be challenging because of acoustic shadowing of regurgitant jets and a wide normal range of transvalvular gradients. Several studies in…
Left Ventricular Systolic Myocardial Deformation: A Comparison of Two- and Three-Dimensional Echocardiography in Children
Background The clinical applicability and reliability of three-dimensional (3D) speckle-tracking echocardiography has not been well studied in pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to compare two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography…
