Left Ventricular Longitudinal Function Assessed by Speckle Tracking Ultrasound from a Single Apical Imaging Plane
Figure 1
Steps involved in the sequence of Automated Functional Imaging (AFI) analysis and conventional analysis using the apical four chamber view (AP4C). (An example, see also text.) (a) Two points have been applied on both sides of the Mitral valve. The apical point has yet to be placed. (b) Myocardial wall of the left ventricle has been outlined defining a region of interest (ROI), consisting of 3 concentric lines delineating the endocardial and epicardial borders and a midmyocardial layer and end systole is automatically marked by aortic valve closure. (c) ROI is divided into 6 segments and good alignment is confirmed within each segment. (d) Peak systolic strain values of each segment have been calculated by the computer algorithm. (e) Bulls Eye plot presenting segmental peak systolic strain values (17 segment model) and global peak systolic strain values of each view (GLPS LAX: apical long axis; GLPS 4C: apical four-chamber; GLPS 2C: apical 2 chamber) and an overall averaged peak systolic strain value average GLPS.
