Ultrasonic Integrated Backscatter Two-dimensional Imaging: Evaluation of M-Mode Guided Acquisition and Immediate Analysis in 5S Consecutive Patients

We have shown previously that cardiac cycle-dependent integrated backscatter characterizes the physical state of myocardium in patients with ischemic heart disease and cardiomyopathy. In the present study the clinical applicability of M-mode guided two-dimensional integrated backscatter imaging was defined in evaluation of 55 nonselected patients. The mean amplitude of cyclic variation of integrated backscatter in normal segments (long-axis view) was as follows: basal septum, 4.2 ± 1.3 dB (mean ± SD; n = 27), mid-septum, 4.5 ± 1.0 dB (n = 26), basal posterior, 4.8 ± 1.0 dB (n = 30), and mid-posterior, 4.8 ± 1.2 decibels (n = 27). The respective mean delay values (R wave to nadir) were as follows: 0.89 ± 0.09, 0.84 ± 0.09, 0.86 ± 0.09, and 0.85 ± 0.12. At least one cardiac cycle could be analyzed fully in 62% of patients. Limitations included technically difficult two-dimensional echocardiography, inadequate M-line orientation, technically remediable errors, or poor quality integrated backscatter images. In abnormal segments (n = 13) cyclic variation was reduced and delay was prolonged (1.2 ± 1.1 dB and 1.21 ± 1.1, respectively). Intraobserver and interobserver variability for amplitude measurements were modest, with respective correlation coefficients of r = 0.93; r = 0.72. The findings demonstrate that M-mode-assisted integrated backscatter is a practical approach for characterization of regional myocardial properties promptly and at the bedside in a large portion of patients with cardiac disease.