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Comparative Study
. 2012 Sep 1;5(5):637-43.
doi: 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.112.972588. Epub 2012 Aug 6.

Quantifying pulmonary regurgitation and right ventricular function in surgically repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a comparative analysis of echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging

Laura Mercer-Rosa  1 , Wei Yang, Shelby Kutty, Jack Rychik, Mark Fogel, Elizabeth Goldmuntz
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Quantifying pulmonary regurgitation and right ventricular function in surgically repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a comparative analysis of echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging

Laura Mercer-Rosa et al. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. .

Abstract

Background: Patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot are monitored for pulmonary regurgitation (PR) and right ventricular (RV) function. We sought to compare measures of PR and RV function on echocardiogram to those on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and to develop a new tool for assessing PR by echocardiogram.

Methods and results: Patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (n=143; 12.5±3.2 years) had an echocardiogram and CMR within 3 months of each other. On echocardiogram, RV function was assessed by (1) Doppler tissue imaging of the RV free wall and (2) myocardial performance index. The ratio of diastolic and systolic time-velocity integrals measured by Doppler of the main pulmonary artery was calculated. CMR variables included RV ejection fraction, RV volumes, and pulmonary regurgitant fraction (RF). Pulmonary regurgitation was graded as mild (RF<20%), moderate (RF=20-40%), and severe (RF>40%). On CMR, RF was 34+17% and RV ejection fraction was 61+8%. Echocardiography had good sensitivity identifying cases with RF>20% (sensitivity 97%; 95% CI: 92-99%) but overestimated the amount of PR when RF<20% (false-positive rate 36%; 95% CI: 18-57%). The diastolic and systolic time-velocity integrals on echocardiogram showed moderate correlation with RF on CMR (R=0.60; P<0.0001). On CMR, RF of 20% and 40% corresponded with a diastolic and systolic time-velocity integral of 0.49 (95% CI: 0.44-0.56) and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.68-0.76), respectively. RV myocardial performance index correlated modestly with RV ejection fraction (r=-0.33; P<0.001).

Conclusions: This study suggests that the diastolic and systolic time-velocity integrals ratio may make a modest contribution to the overall assessment of PR in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and warrants further investigation. However, echocardiography continues to have a limited ability to quantify PR and RV function as compared with CMR.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pulsed wave Doppler in the main pulmonary artery in a patient with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and residual pulmonary regurgitation. Diastolic (above the baseline) and systolic (below the baseline) flows were traced (shown in red) to obtain the DSTVI. In this example, DSTVI= 0.612, corresponding to moderate-severe pulmonary regurgitation by CMR (RF = 47%).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatter plot of diastolic-systolic time-velocity integral (DSTVI) vs. pulmonary regurgitant fraction Regression equation: y = 0.27+0.011x; r=0.36, p<0.0001. DSTVI indicates diastolic to systolic time-velocity integral.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatter plot of right ventricular ejection fraction (%) and myocardial performance index (MPI) on echocardiogram. Regression equation: y= 64.94 − 20.1x; r=−0.33; p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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