Myocardial tissue characterization in heart failure by real-time integrated backscatter.

OBJECTIVE: Differentiation between normal and abnormal physical state of the myocardium, not possible with conventional echocardiography, so far could be done with integrated backscatter (IBS) as a research tool only.
METHODS: This study investigates myocardial texture analysis with new commercially available real time IBS in 12 normal individuals and in 18 patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction due to coronary artery disease (CAD) in 8 and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in 10 patients. Analysis of IBS amplitude and cyclic variation (dB) in the parasternal long and short axis view of the septum and the posterior wall were measured and corrected with IBS curve of the blood to get absolute values.
RESULTS: Compared to normal individuals patients with left ventricular dysfunction had a reduced myocardial cyclic variation (P<0.0001), which correlated to regional systolic wall thickening (r=0.64, P=0.001) and global shortening fraction (r=0.62, P<0.01). Although systolic wall thickening in the posterior wall was lower in CAD patients (% thickening, 11.9+/-10 vs. 21.9+/-8, P=0.004), absolute cyclic variation was reduced in both, CAD and DCM patients in the same order of magnitude. However, the higher maximal IBS amplitude in the posterior wall observed in CAD when compared to DCM patients (13.2+/-4.4 vs. 9.2+/-2.4 dB; P=0.002) indicate fibrosis or scar. The dissociation between cyclic variation and systolic wall thickening could implicate hybernating myocardium.
CONCLUSION: Real-time IBS has progressed from research to routine as a tool to obtain additional and valuable information to conventional echocardiography in daily practice.