© 2003 by European Society of Cardiology
Copyright © 2003, The European Society of Cardiology
Improving feasibility of posterior descending coronary artery flow recording by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography
1Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Echo-Lab, S. Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy
2Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Cath-Lab, S. Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy
Received 31 October 2002; received in revised form 29 January 2003; accepted after revision 4 March 2003.
* Address correspondence to: A. Auriti, Ospedale S. Filippo Neri, via Martinotti 20, 00135 Rome, Italy. Tel: +39-6-33062505; Fax: +39-6-33062489. a.auriti{at}sanfilipponeri.roma.it
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Abstract |
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Aims: Recording coronary arteries' flow by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) is a new task. Despite several studies concerning the left anterior descending artery (LAD) exist, the same for posterior descending coronary artery (PD) do not. Reported feasibility is not more than 76%. The aim of the study was to try to improve feasibility by using an additional two-dimensional view as a guide.
Methods and Results: PD flow recording was performed in 35 consecutive unselected patients under the guidance of the usual two-dimensional modified view [a two-chamber view (2-C)], and with a new four-chamber modified view (4-C). A semi-quantitative growing-quality score (from 0 to 3 points) to the trace was given. Contrast enhancement was used if PD was not visualized without it. The overall feasibility was 80%. A good or very good velocity signal (TTDE score 
2) was observed in 48% of patients without contrast enhancement. Time for first visualization of PD was short and significantly lower in 2-C than in 4-C (66 ± 39 vs 90 ± 70 s, respectively, P<0.05).
Conclusions: TTDE recording of PD flow gained better feasibility being guided by two views. Maximal time for first visualization of PD was less than 3 min.
Keywords: coronary flow; echocardiography; Doppler
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