Evaluation of right atrial volumes and functions by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography in patients after acute inferior myocardial infarction

Echocardiographic evaluation of the right atrial size and function: Relevance for clinical practice

Right atrial (RA) structural and functional evaluations have recently emerged as powerful biomarkers for adverse events in various cardiovascular conditions. Quantitative analysis of the right atrium, usually performed with volume changes or speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE), has markedly changed our understanding of RA function and remodeling. Knowledge of reference echocardiographic values and measurement methods of RA volumes and myocardial function is a prerequisite to introduce RA quantitation in the clinical routine. This review describes the methodology, benefits and pitfalls of measuring RA size and function by echocardiography based on the current understanding of right atrial anatomy and physiological function and provides the current knowledge of right atrial function in related cardiac diseases.

Three-Dimensional Echocardiography and Coagulation Function Detection in the Prognosis Evaluation of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

This research was aimed at discussing the application value of coagulation function detection and three-dimensional echocardiography in the prognosis evaluation of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. 72 patients with AMI were divided into the recovered group (good recovery) and unrecovered group (poor recovery) according to the results of postoperative ultrasonography. The left ventricular parameters of the patients were detected by three-dimensional ultrasound, and the coagulation function was also detected. The results showed that 3 months after surgery, the regional end-systolic volume (rESV) and regional end-diastolic volume (rEDV) of the left ventricle in the patients were smaller than the measured values 1 week after surgery. The left ventricular regional ejection fraction (rEF) was greater than the value measured 1 week after surgery, and all the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). For the end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), and ejection fraction (EF) (%), the two-dimensional ultrasound results were significantly lower than the three-dimensional ultrasound results, and there were significant differences (P < 0.05). Tmsvle6-Dif% of the recovered patients was 14.99 ± 9.88 and 14.37 ± 9.78 3 months and 6 months after surgery, respectively. These were smaller than 30.91 ± 18.63 and 33.51 ± 17.96 of the unrecovered patients; the differences were of statistical significance (P < 0.05). Tmsvl6-SD% of recovered patients was 3.69 ± 2.47 and 3.61 ± 1.83 3 months and 6 months after surgery, respectively, which were also smaller than 7.38 ± 4.06 and 7.96 ± 2.82 of unrecovered patients, showing statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The postoperative Tmsvle6-Dif% and Tmsvl6-SD% of the recovered group were lower than those of the unrecovered patients, with the statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The level of coagulation factors in the recovered group was also significantly lower than that in the unrecovered group with the difference statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results suggested that three-dimensional echocardiography played an important role in the evaluation of cardiac conditions in AMI patients. The level of coagulation factors varied with the AMI condition of patients, and there was an obvious relationship between them, which could provide a reference value for the prognosis evaluation of patients.

Evaluation of the right atrial phasic functions in patients with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography study

Background

Evidence suggests that changes in left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions may affect right atrial (RA) phasic functions. We aimed to evaluate RA phasic functions in the presence of anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (ASTEMI) as an acute event and to compare the findings with those in a control group.

Methods

We recruited 92 consecutive ASTEMI patients without accompanying significant stenosis in the proximal and middle parts of the right coronary artery and 31 control subjects, matched for age, sex, diabetes, and hypertension. RA phasic functions were evaluated concerning their longitudinal 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography-derived markers. The ASTEMI group was followed up for all-cause mortality or reinfarction.

Results

In the ASTEMI group, RA strain was reduced during the reservoir (33.2% ± 4.3% vs 30.5% ± 8.1%; P = 0.021) and conduit (16% [12–18%] vs 14% [9–17%]; P = 0.048) phases. The other longitudinal 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography-derived markers of RA phasic functions were not different between the 2 groups. RA strain and strain rate during the contraction phase were predictive of all-cause mortality or reinfarction (hazard ratio = 0.80; P = 0.024 and hazard ratio = 0.39; P = 0.026, respectively).

Conclusions

Based on 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography, in the ASTEMI group, compared with the control group, RA reservoir and conduit functions were reduced, while RA contraction function was preserved. RA contraction function was predictive of all-cause mortality or reinfarction during the follow-up period.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12872-022-02546-4.

Evaluation of a novel tomographic ultrasound device for abdominal examinations

Conventional ultrasound (US) is the first-line imaging method for abdominal pathologies, but its diagnostic accuracy is operator-dependent, and data storage is usually limited to two-dimensional images. A novel tomographic US system (Curefab CS, Munich, Germany) processes imaging data combined with three-dimensional spatial information using a magnetic field tracking. This enables standardized image presentation in axial planes and a review of the entire examination. The applicability and diagnostic performance of this tomographic US approach was analyzed in an abdominal setting using conventional US as reference. Tomographic US data were successfully compiled in all subjects of a training cohort (20 healthy volunteers) and in 50 patients with abdominal lesions. Image quality (35% and 79% for training and patient cohort respectively) and completeness of organ visualization (45% and 44%) were frequently impaired in tomographic US compared to conventional US. Conventional and tomographic US showed good agreement for measurement of organ sizes in the training cohort (right liver lobe and both kidneys with a median deviation of 5%). In the patient cohort, tomographic US identified 57 of 74 hepatic or renal lesions detected by conventional ultrasound (sensitivity 77%). In conclusion, this study illustrates the diagnostic potential of abdominal tomographic US, but current significant limitations of the tomographic ultrasound device demand further technical improvements before this and comparable approaches can be implemented in clinical practice.