Velocity tracking - a novel method for quantitative analysis of longitudinal myocardial function

• Doppler tissue imaging is a method for quantitative analysis of longitudinal myocardial velocity. Commercially available ultrasound systems can only present velocity information using a color Dopplerbased overlapping continuous color scale. The analysis is time-consuming and does not allow for simultaneous analysis in different projections. We have developed a new method, velocity tracking, using a stepwise color coding of the regional longitudinal myocardial velocity. The velocity data from 3 apical projections are presented as static and dynamic bull's-eye plots to give a 3-dimensional understanding of the function of the left ventricle. The static bull's-eye plot can display peak systolic velocity, late diastofic tissue velocity, or the sum of peak systolic velocity and early diastolic tissue velocity. Conversely, the dynamic bull's-eye plot displays how the myocardial velocities change over one heart cycle. Velocity tracking allows for a fast, simple, and hituitive visual analysis of the regional longitudinal contraction pattern of the left ventricle with a great potential to identify characteristic pathologic patterns.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Industriell bioteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Industrial Biotechnology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

coronary-artery-disease; tissue doppler; stress echocardiography; diastolic dysfunction; heart-failure; diagnosis; motion; wall

Bioengineering

Bioteknik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)