Reproducibility of regional and global longitudinal strains derived from two-dimensional speckle-tracking and doppler tissue iImaging between expert and novice readers during quantitative dobutamine stress echocardiography
Recommended Citation
Yamada A, Luis S, Chan J, et al. Reproducibility of regional and global longitudinal strains derived from two-dimensional speckle-tracking and doppler tissue iImaging between expert and novice readers during quantitative dobutamine stress echocardiography. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2014 Aug;27(8):880-7.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Longitudinal strain (LS) is a quantitative parameter that adds incremental value to wall motion analysis. The aim of this study was to compare the reproducibility of LS derived from Doppler tissue imaging and speckle-tracking between an expert and a novice strain reader during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE).
METHODS: Forty-one patients (mean age, 65 ± 15 years; mean ejection fraction, 58 ± 11%) underwent DSE per clinical protocol. Global LS derived from speckle-tracking and regional LS derived from both speckle-tracking and Doppler tissue imaging were measured twice by an expert strain reader and also measured twice by a novice strain reader. Intraobserver and interobserver analyses were performed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland-Altman analysis, and absolute difference values (mean ± SD).
RESULTS: Global LS measured by the expert strain reader demonstrated high intraobserver measurement reproducibility (rest: ICC = 0.95, absolute difference = 5.5 ± 4.9%; low dose: ICC = 0.96, absolute difference = 5.7 ± 3.7%; peak dose: ICC = 0.87, absolute difference = 11.4 ± 8.4%). Global LS measured by the novice strain reader also demonstrated high intraobserver reproducibility (rest: ICC = 0.97, absolute difference = 4.1 ± 3.4%; low dose: ICC = 0.94, absolute difference = 5.4 ± 5.9%; peak dose: ICC = 0.94, absolute difference = 6.1 ± 4.8%). Global LS also showed high interobserver agreement between the expert and novice readers at all stages of DSE (rest: ICC = 0.90, absolute difference = 8.5 ± 7.5%; low dose: ICC = 0.90, absolute difference = 8.9 ± 7.1%; peak dose: ICC = 0.87, absolute difference = 10.8 ± 8.4%). Of all parameters studied, LS derived from Doppler tissue imaging had relatively low interobserver and intraobserver agreement.
CONCLUSIONS: Global LS is highly reproducible during all stages of DSE. This variable is a potentially reliable and reproducible measure of myocardial deformation.
Document Type
Article
PubMed ID
24891261
Affiliations
Aurora Cardiovascular Services, Aurora Sinai/Aurora St. Luke's Medical Centers