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Cardiovascular Ultrasound
Published in: Cardiovascular Ultrasound 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Echocardiography | Review

Myocardial tissue characterisation using echocardiographic deformation imaging

Authors: Mohammed A. Moharram, Regis R. Lamberts, Gillian Whalley, Michael J. A. Williams, Sean Coffey

Published in: Cardiovascular Ultrasound | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Myocardial pathology results in significant morbidity and mortality, whether due to primary cardiomyopathic processes or secondary to other conditions such as ischemic heart disease. Cardiac imaging techniques characterise the underlying tissue directly, by assessing a signal from the tissue itself, or indirectly, by inferring tissue characteristics from global or regional function. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is currently the most investigated imaging modality for tissue characterisation, but, due to its accessibility, advanced echocardiography represents an attractive alternative. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a reproducible technique used to assess myocardial deformation at both segmental and global levels. Since distinct myocardial pathologies affect deformation differently, information about the underlying tissue can be inferred by STE. In this review, the current available studies correlating STE deformation parameters with underlying tissue characteristics in humans are examined, with separate emphasis on global and segmental analysis. The current knowledge is placed in the context of integrated backscatter and the future of echocardiographic based tissue characterisation is discussed. The use of these imaging techniques to more precisely phenotype myocardial pathology more precisely will allow the design of translational cardiac research studies and, potentially, tailored management strategies.
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Metadata
Title
Myocardial tissue characterisation using echocardiographic deformation imaging
Authors
Mohammed A. Moharram
Regis R. Lamberts
Gillian Whalley
Michael J. A. Williams
Sean Coffey
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cardiovascular Ultrasound / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1476-7120
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12947-019-0176-9

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