Variability in the assessment of myocardial strain patterns: implications for adequate interpretation

Variability in global and regional peak strain has been thoroughly studied, but variability in spatiotemporal myocardial strain patterns has not been studied as well. This study reports on such variability and its implications for adequate disease interpretation. Forty in-training operators, distrib...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Nicolas Duchateau, Filip Loncaric, Maja Cikes, Adelina Doltra, Marta Sitges, Bijnens, Bart
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10230/43939
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10230/43939
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.10.013
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Speckle tracking
Myocardial strain
Spatiotemporal analysis
Reproducibility
Educational course
Descripción
Sumario:Variability in global and regional peak strain has been thoroughly studied, but variability in spatiotemporal myocardial strain patterns has not been studied as well. This study reports on such variability and its implications for adequate disease interpretation. Forty in-training operators, distributed on 20 workstations, analyzed six cases with representative deformation patterns with commercial speckle tracking. Inter­operator differences were quantified through the variability in myocardial delineations, spatiotemporal longitudinal strain patterns and peak longitudinal strain. Intra­operator differences were assessed similarly using 10 repeated measurements from a single clinician expert. Delineations varied mainly along the lateral wall and at the valve level. Peak longitudinal strain variability was low to moderate. The spatiotemporal strain patterns were consistent despite high variability at the apex and near the valve. The results indicate that relevant pattern assessment is possible despite heterogeneous experience with speckle tracking and that careful interpretation of pattern abnormalities should be recommended before a more systematic quantitative analysis.