Objective: To observe the 3-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) in clinical diagnosis of coronary artery disease by quantitatively evaluating left ventricular segmental and global systolic function.
Methods: According to the selective coronary artery angiography, 150 inpatients suspected of coronary artery disease were divided into 5 groups according to the distribution of the affected coronary arteries: a left anterior descending coronary artery group (LAD, n=46), a left circumflex coronary artery group (LCX, n=25), a right coronary artery group (RCA, n=23), a multivessel group (n=26), and a normal group (n=30). Gensini score was calculated according to coronary artery angiography. Conventional echocardiography was applied in each patient and wall motion score index (WMSI) was calculated. 3D-STI was applied in each patient to evaluate the segmental and global systolic function in the left ventricle.
Results: Compared with the normal group, ejection fraction was decreased in the multi-vessel group alone (P<0.05). Peak systolic 3D strains in all segments were decreased in the multi-vessel group (P<0.01), while peak systolic 3D strains in the main blood-supply segments were decreased significantly in the rest of the groups (P<0.05). Global 3-dimensional strain (G3DS) was negatively correlated with Gensini score in patients with coronary artery disease (r= -0.76, P<0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that G3DS was more sensitive and accurate in clinical diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Conclusion: 3D-STI can quantitatively evaluate the segmental and global systolic function of the left ventricle, and reflect the extent of coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease.