Abstract

Local myocardial stress is an important index of ventricular loading conditions. We developed a novel software package to provide estimation of local circumferential stress in the entire left ventricle (LV) based on Janz's method using contemporary LV imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to confirm the validity of our novel software by comparing local circumferential stress (local σ) with global equatorial stress (global σ) values. We acquired 30° right anterior oblique LVG images in 74 patients (aortic regurgitation; n = 48, aortic stenosis; n = 26) and 26 healthy subjects, then analyzed them using Janz's method to elucidate local σ in segment #12 (mid-anterolateral) based on AHA/ASE segmentation criteria. Global σ was obtained using Mirsky's formula. A highly significant correlation was found between local σ and global σ (r = 0.99, p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis also showed good agreement between the two methods (mean bias 2.4 kdyn/cm(2), limits of agreement 9.3 kdyn/cm(2)/-4.6 kdyn/cm(2)). There were good correlations for both intra-observer and inter-observer agreement. Our novel software package was shown useful to assess local circumferential stress with contemporary cardiovascular imaging techniques.

Copyright © 2009. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.