Longitudinal Tissue Velocity and Deformation Imaging in Patients with Significant Stenosis of Left Anterior Descending Artery

I ntroduction: Myocardial longitudinal tissue velocity imaging and strain rate imaging indices may have a role in the prediction of significant proximal stenosis of left anterior descending by echocardiography. Materials and Methods: Total 20 patients with proximal left anterior descending stenosis >70% by angiography and ejection fraction ≥50%, without wall motion abnormality at resting echo (stenotic group) and 20 angiographically normal coronaries subjects with normal echocardiography (non-stenotic group) were included in the study. Strain rate imaging and tissue velocity imaging were performed in nine segments of the left anterior descending territory at rest. Parameters of interest included: peak systolic strain (%), strain rate (Second -1 ), and peak systolic velocity (Sm, cm/s). Results : Overal mean systolic strain and strain rate showed a significant reduction in the stenotic group compared to non-stenotic group ( P