Cianciulli TF, Saccheri MC, Lax JA, Bermann AM, Ferreiro DE. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography for the assessment of atrial function. World J Cardiol 2010; 2(7): 163-170 [PMID: 21160748 DOI: 10.4330/wjc.v2.i7.163]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Tomás Francisco Cianciulli, MD, FACC, Professor, Division of Cardiology, Echocardiography Laboratory, Hospital of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires “Dr. Cosme Argerich”, Pi y Margall 750 (C1155ADP), Buenos Aires, Argentina. tcianciulli@fibertel.com.ar
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Editorial
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World J Cardiol. Jul 26, 2010; 2(7): 163-170 Published online Jul 26, 2010. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v2.i7.163
Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography for the assessment of atrial function
Tomás Francisco Cianciulli, María Cristina Saccheri, Jorge Alberto Lax, Alejandra Marina Bermann, Daniel Ernesto Ferreiro
Tomás Francisco Cianciulli, María Cristina Saccheri, Jorge Alberto Lax, Alejandra Marina Bermann, Daniel Ernesto Ferreiro, Division of Cardiology, Echocardiography Laboratory, Hospital of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires “Dr. Cosme Argerich”, Pi y Margall 750 (C1155ADP), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tomás Francisco Cianciulli, María Cristina Saccheri, Researchers of the Secretary of Health of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, Pi y Margall 750 (C1155ADP), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Author contributions: Bermann AM and Ferreiro DE attended the patient and participated in the analysis and interpretation of data; Saccheri MC and Cianciulli TF obtained the echocardiographic images, participated in the preparation of the manuscript and prepared the figures; Lax JA participated in the design and review of the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to: Tomás Francisco Cianciulli, MD, FACC, Professor, Division of Cardiology, Echocardiography Laboratory, Hospital of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires “Dr. Cosme Argerich”, Pi y Margall 750 (C1155ADP), Buenos Aires, Argentina. tcianciulli@fibertel.com.ar
Telephone: +54-11-41210879 Fax: +54-11-48015510
Received: April 27, 2010 Revised: May 7, 2010 Accepted: May 14, 2010 Published online: July 26, 2010
Abstract
Echocardiography is the most common diagnostic method for assessing atrial function but the technique has some limitations. Traditionally, assessment of left atrial function has been performed by measuring volumes with 2D echocardiography. Additionally, it can be assessed with transmitral Doppler and pulmonary vein Doppler. Recently, an alternative method has been incorporated, namely, measurement of myocardial deformation with color tissue Doppler-derived strain. However, this method has several limitations, such as suboptimal reproducibility, angle-dependence, signal artifacts and the fact that it only measures regional strain and does not obtain information about the curved portion of the atrial roof. To overcome these limitations in the quantification of atrial function, the use of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) strain has been proposed. This technique is not derived from Doppler but rather from 2D echocardiography; it is angle-independent and allows one to measure global as well as regional atrial strain. In this editorial, we describe the physical and pathophysiological concepts of STE and underline the clinical usefulness of this new technique.
