Feasibility of Left Atrial Strain Imaging
Author Information
Author(s): Cameli Matteo, Caputo Maria, Mondillo Sergio, Ballo Piercarlo, Palmerini Elisabetta, Lisi Matteo, Marino Enzo, Galderisi Maurizio
Primary Institution: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Hypothesis
We sought to determine the feasibility and reference ranges of LA longitudinal strain indices measured by speckle tracking in a population of normal subjects.
Conclusion
Speckle tracking is a feasible technique for the assessment of longitudinal myocardial LA deformation.
Supporting Evidence
- Adequate tracking quality was achieved in 97% of segments analyzed.
- Inter and intra-observer variability coefficients of measurements ranged between 2.9% and 5.4%.
- Global PALS was 42.2 ± 6.1% with a 5–95° percentile range of 32.2–53.2%.
- The 2-chamber average PALS was slightly higher than the 4-chamber average PALS.
Takeaway
This study shows that a special imaging technique can help doctors see how well the heart's left atrium is working.
Methodology
Peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) and time to peak longitudinal strain (TPLS) were measured using a 12-segment model for the left atrium in healthy individuals.
Potential Biases
Potential errors in epicardial/endocardial border tracing in subjects with suboptimal image quality.
Limitations
The study used software for LV analysis to study LA strain, which may affect tracking quality.
Participant Demographics
Sixty consecutive adult healthy subjects with unremarkable clinical history.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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