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The value of conventional echocardiographic and tissue doppler imaging in the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis

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Summary

Transthoracic echocardiographic characteristics of 17 cases of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), a rare disease in China, were analyzed in order to improve the understanding of the disease. Seventeen cases of biopsy-proven CA, admitted to Wuhan Union Hospital from June 1994 to September 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty normal volunteers served as control group. Left atrial and ventricular functions and mitral inflow velocity were measured by two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiography, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)-derived peak systolic wall motion velocities (Sv), peak early diastolic wall motion velocities (Ev), and peak late diastolic wall motion (Av) were measured at the septum, lateral, inferior and anterior corners of mitral annulus from the apical 4- and 2 chamber views. Compared with the control group, the interventricular septal thickness (IVSd), the left ventricular posterior wall (LVPWd), right ventricular transverse diameter (RVTDd) near the end of diastole and the interauricular septum thickness (IASs), left atrial anteroposterior diameter (LAADs), right atrial transverse diameter (RATDs) near the end of systole were increased significantly (all P<0.05) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased (P<0.05) in the CA group. Compared with the control group, Sv, Ev at each wall and Av at almost all walls were significantly decreased in the CA group. In the CA group, Myocardial echoes of interventricular septum and free wall of left ventricle were enhanced evidently and distributed unevenly. The echoes presented as ground glass-like images, with some spotty hyper echoes. Both atria were enlarged, and LVEF decreased, with diastolic function impaired, and mild-moderate hydropericardium found in the CA group. It was concluded that echocardiography was a relatively sensitive and highly specific non-invasive method for the diagnosis of CA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Li Zhang  (张 丽), Mingxing Xie  (谢明星), Xinfang Wang  (王新房), Yali Yang  (杨亚莉), Junhong Huang  (黄君红), Ming Cheng  (陈 明), Feixiang Xiang  (项飞翔) & Qing Lü  (吕 清)

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  1. Li Zhang  (张 丽)
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  2. Mingxing Xie  (谢明星)
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  3. Xinfang Wang  (王新房)
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  4. Yali Yang  (杨亚莉)
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  5. Junhong Huang  (黄君红)
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  6. Ming Cheng  (陈 明)
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  7. Feixiang Xiang  (项飞翔)
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  8. Qing Lü  (吕 清)
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Li ZHANG, female, born in 1980, Doctorial Candidate

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Zhang, L., Xie, M., Wang, X. et al. The value of conventional echocardiographic and tissue doppler imaging in the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 28, 732–736 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-008-0627-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-008-0627-2

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