Segmental color Doppler myocardial imaging derived pre-ejection velocities are not clinically useful in the assessment of post-infarction scar transmurality.

INTRODUCTION The presence of a velocity in isovolumic contraction phase (Vivc) evaluated using tissue Pulse wave Doppler myocardial imaging (PWDMI) correlates with a transmural extent of scar after myocardial infarction. The possible clinical usefulness of Vivc evaluated using color Doppler myocardial imaging (CDMI) in detection of a scar after myocardial infarction extent in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and low LV systolic function remains to be clarified. PATIENTS AND METHODS 57 patients with CHD (average LVEF 33.5±5%), examined echocardiographicaly (17-segment LV model, 689 segments evaluated) and by cardiac magnetic resonance. All segments were scanned for Vivc presence using CDMI. Vivc presence/absence was correlated with signs of a scar after MI in all segments and in akinetic segments separately. RESULTS We found significantly larger values of wall thickness (8.2±2,2 vs. 7.1±1.9, p<0.0001), significantly lower values of average late enhancement (LE) extent (1.32±1.78 vs. 1.66±1.98, p=0.041) and LE/wall thickness ratio (20.1±29.8 vs. 29.6±36.7, p=0.008) in segments with present Vivc. Vivc presence in a segment with an abnormal wall motion had a sensitivity of 72.9% and a specificity of 35.7% in recognizing a segment without a transmural scar (LE/ wall thickness ratio ≤75%). Vivc absence in a segment with an abnormal wall motion had a sensitivity of 72.7% and a specificity of 41.2% in recognizing a segment with a transmural scar (LE/wall thickness ratio ≥75%). CONCLUSIONS Isovolumic velocities evaluation assessed using color Doppler myocardial imaging is not applicable in a real-world clinical setting. The presence or absence of a velocity pattern during LV isovolumic contraction is not useful in in the assessment of a post-infarction scar transmurality.