Three-Dimensional-Wall Motion Tracking: A New and Faster Tool for Myocardial Strain Assessment: Comparison With Two-Dimensional-Wall Motion Tracking

Background: Two-dimensional (2D) wall motion-tracking echocardiography (WMT) is a useful method to measure myocardial strain, but it is very limited because acquisition and analysis are time consuming. Three-dimensional (3D) WMT is a new method that might improve diagnostic usefulness and reduce study times. The aims of this study were to compare results on 2D and 3D WMT and to compare the times for the acquisition and analysis of regional myocardial strain between the two methods. Methods: Measurements of the radial and longitudinal strain of every left ventricular (LV) segment and the time for acquisition and analysis were obtained using 3D and 2D WMT. Results: Thirty patients were enrolled (mean age, 57.2 +/- 19.6 years; 60% men). Three-dimensional WMT provided complete radial and longitudinal LV strain information, similar to 2D WMT (P = NS), but it was less time consuming: the times for acquisition and analysis were 14.0 +/- 1.9 minutes with 2D WMT and 5.1 +/- 1.1 minutes with 3D WMT (P <.001). Furthermore, in the same analysis, a greater number of segments could be analyzed using 3D WMT (72.4%) compared with 2D WMT (52.0%). Conclusions: Three-dimensional WMT provides a faster, more complete, and similar analysis to assess LV longitudinal and radial strain compared with 2D WMT. Thus, 3D WMT is a potential clinical bedside tool for quantifying myocardial strain. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2009;22:325-330.)