Quantification of left ventricular longitudinal strain by two-dimensional speckle tracking: a comparison between expert and non-expert readers.

The study aimed to examine whether global and segmental longitudinal strain (LS) using speckle tracking echocardiography could improve the interpretation of wall motion (WM) asynergy for expert and non-expert readers compared to visual assessment by 2-dimensional echocardiography (2DE). Using the 17 left ventricular segments model, both segmental and global LS were assessed by automatic function imaging in 20 patients with ischemic heart disease (61.0 ± 9.9 years, 70 % are male) and 20 normal controls (57.7 ± 16.9 years, 75 % are male). Global and segmental WM score was calculated by 2DE visual analysis using the same model. Both modalities were analyzed by two expert and two non-expert readers. Inter- and intra-observer agreement was calculated between all readers. Complete WM analysis of 680 segments was performed in 94.1 and 81 % by expert and non-expert readers respectively. Analysis of LS was completed in 96.3 and 95 % by both readers respectively. WM score by expert readers was correlated well with global LS by both expert and non-expert readers (R = 0.81, P < 0.0001, R = 0.79, P < 0.0001) while by the non-expert readers it was correlated fairly (R = 0.58, P < 0.01, R = 0.57, P < 0.01 respectively). Inter and intra-observer agreements between the expert readings were excellent in both techniques while the non-expert readings showed better agreement for LS than WM score. The mean difference between expert and non-expert readers was higher for WM score than LS (2.4 ± 2.9, -1.5 ± 1.6). Assessment of LS using 2D speckle tracking echocardiography showed better inter and intra-observer agreement than the visual analysis of WM regardless of the experience level. This may help to improved the quantification of WM asynergy by non-expert readers.