© 2004 by European Society of Cardiology
Copyright © 2004, The European Society of Cardiology
Letter to the Editor
aAssistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Universitaire Ambroise Paré, Service de Cardiologie, 9, avenue Charles de Gaulle, 92100 Boulogne Cedex, France
bAssistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Laboratoire d'échocardiographie, Service de Cardiologie, Paris, France
nicolas.mansencal{at}apr.ap-hop-paris.fr
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +33-1-49-09-56-20; fax: +33-1-49-09-53-44.
We have read with interest the article by McGavigan et al.,1 concerning the echocardiographic overestimation of left ventricular mass using second harmonic imaging. We are very glad to see that this report is comparable to our previous study.2,3 Indeed, in a study performed in 46 patients using blinded double reading and conventions (Penn and ASE), second harmonic imaging led to an overestimation of left ventricular wall thickness and left ventricular mass compared with fundamental imaging. These results are of importance, because all examinations in a majority of echolab are performed using second harmonic imaging. A key point is that left ventricular mass calculation using second harmonic imaging is not validated and should not be used. More important is the evaluation of left ventricular mass reproducibility, since using fundamental imaging, the published variability ranges from 10% to 20%.4 We regret the absence of double reading in McGavigan's study. Interestingly, in our study,3 we found better interobserver agreement using second harmonic imaging. This point is very stimulating and encourages left ventricular mass measurement validation using harmonic imaging, using a reference method such as MRI.
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- McGavigan A.D, Dunn F.G, Goodfield N.E. Secondary harmonic imaging overestimates left ventricular mass compared to fundamental echocardiography. Eur J Echocardiogr (2003) 4:178–181.
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Mansencal N, Bordachar P, Lakhdar R, Raffoul H, Diebold B, Abergel E. Left ventricular measurements: fundamental or second harmonic echocardiography? Eur J Echocardiogr (2001) 2(Suppl_A):S95. [abstract presented to Euroecho V in Nice, France].
- Mansencal N, Bordachar P, Chatellier G, Redheuil A, Diebold B, Abergel E. Comparison of accuracy of left ventricular echocardiographic measurements by fundamental imaging versus second harmonic imaging. Am J Cardiol (2003) 91:1037–1039.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- de Simone G, Muiesan M.L, Ganau A, Longhini C, Verdecchia P, Palmieri V, et al. Reliability and limitations of echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular mass for risk stratification and follow-up in single patients: the RES trial. Working Group on Heart and Hypertension of the Italian Society of Hypertension. Reliability of M-mode echocardiographic studies. J Hypertens (1999) 17:1955–1963.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
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