Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Tissue Velocity in Normal Children with Doppler Tissue Imaging: Reference Values, Growth and Heart Rate Related Change

Kim, Se Young; Hyun, Myung Chul; Lee, Sang Bum

Abstract

PURPOSE
To measure the peak myocardial tissue velocities and patterns of longitudinal motion of atrioventricular (AV) annuli and assess body weight and heart rates-related changes in normal children. METHODS: Using pulsed wave Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI), we measured peak systolic, early and late diastolic myocardial velocities in 72 normal children at six different sites in apical-4 chamber (A4C) view and at four different sites in apical-2 chamber (A2C) view and compared those values with each other, also observing effects with body weights and heart rates. Longitudinal motions of the AV annuli were measured at three different sites in A4C. RESULTS: There were no significant differences of the TDI parameters between gender, ECHO- machines and among the three Doctors performing TDI. Peak myocardial velocities were significantly higher at the base of the heart than in the mid-ventricular region and in the right lateral ventricular wall than in the left lateral ventricular wall or IVS. The TDI parameters showed no significant correlation with fractional shortening (%). Peak systolic and early diastolic myocardial velocities had no correlation with heart rates, but peak late diastolic velocities and A/E ratio correlated positively with heart rates. Correlations between the TDI parameters and body weight were inconsistent. Absolute longitudinal displacement and % displacement were not differ between gender and not correlated with the TDI parameters. CONCLUSION: We measured the peak myocardial velocities with TDI and the longitudinal motion of the AV annuli using M-mode echocardiography in normal children. With more large scale evaluation, we may establish reference values in normal children and broaden clinical applicabilities in congenital and acquired heart diseases.