Background .– Mitral valve calcifications, especially located in the commissural area, are often considered as a relative contra-indication to percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC). We sought to evaluate in a large…
Background and aim .– Alteration of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) has been found in patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and interpreted…
Objectives .– Infective endocarditis (IE) is still associated with a high in-hospital mortality rate of nearly 20%. Heart failure (HF) has been reported as the most common cause of death…
In patients (pts) with asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS), exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) provides additional prognostic information beyond baseline. The coronary flow reserve (CFR) is impaired in AS but its link…
Background .– The left atrium is a marker of clinical and subclinical cardiovascular disease. The additional role of left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) speckle-derived strain parameters has not…
Background .– Precise measurement of the aortic annulus diameter (AAD) is critical for successful implantation of transcatheter aortic valve (TAVI) but the most accurate method is still debated. We sought…
Background .– Ultrasonography is a non-invasive imaging modality that offers the opportunity to teach living cardiac anatomy and physiology. The objectives of this study are to assess the feasibility of…
Objectives .– Right ventricular (RV) function is a major prognostic factor in patients (pts) with operated tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). We compared the results of RV speckle tracking (2D strain)…
Purpose .– Left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony is based classically on the analysis of velocity or strain peak instants, which are detected manually. This method may not reflect the complexity of…
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disease that can lead to severe heart complications, i.e. congestive heart failure, arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. SSc can be also associated…
