TISSUE DOPPLER IMAGING AS A NEW DIAGNOSTIC OPTION TO EVALUATE LEFT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION

• Published in: Japanese Journal of National Medical Services Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 151 - 158
• Main Authors: OKI, Takashi, ISHIMOTO, Takeo, OISHI, Yoshifumi, NAGASE, Norio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Society of National Medical Services 20.03.2003
• Subjects: LV diastolic function; LV systolic function; myocardial tissue characterization; tissue Doppler imaging
• ISSN: 0021-1699; 1884-8729
• DOI: 10.11261/iryo1946.57.151

The widespread use of the pulsed Doppler echocardiography has facilitated the noninvasive evaluation of abnormalities in the hemodynamic events between the left atrium and left ventricle (LV) by using transmitral and pulmonary venous flow velocity patterns. However, it has been shown that loading conditions, especially preload, influence the indices obtained from these velocity patterns. Recently, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) has been developed and applied in clinical setting to clarify LV myocardial function. In particular, this procedure has the following characteristics 1) circumferential and longitudinal information of LV myocardium can be obtained; 2) early diastolic LV myocardial parameters are not influenced by preload; 3) LV myocardial contractility can be evaluated from the early systolic parameter; 4) LV systolic and diastolic asynchrony can be detected; 5) myocardial velocity gradient obtained from color-coded TDI is not influenced by entire heart motion; and 6) TDI parameters are useful for establishing the prognosis of LV heart failure. In the future, improvements in devices will facilitate tissue characterization in patients with myocardial disease or detection of endocardial and/or epicardial involvement of LV myocardium in patients with ischemic heart disease.