• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.188-190
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• 2023

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.7
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• pp.297-303
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• 2014

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects has become a popular procedure. The availability of a preprocedural imaging study is crucial for a safe and successful closure. Both the anatomy and morphology of the defect should be precisely evaluated before the procedure. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography and cardiac computed tomography are helpful for understanding the morphology of a defect, which is important because different defect morphologies could variously impact the results. During the procedure, real-time 3D echocardiography can be used to guide an accurate closure. The safety and efficiency of transcatheter closures of atrial septal defects could be improved through the use of detailed imaging studies.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.180-187
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: Two-dimensional (2D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is commonly used for assessing patients undergoing transcatheter atrial septal defect (ASD) device closure. 3D TEE, albeit providing high resolution en-face images of ASD, is used in only a fraction of cases. We aimed to perform a comparative analysis between 3D and 2D TEE assessment for ASD device planning. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study conducted over a period of one year. Patients deemed suitable for device closure underwent 2D and 3D TEE at baseline. Defect characteristics, assessed separately in both modalities, were compared. Using regression analysis, we aimed to derive an equation for predicting device size using 3D TEE parameters. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included in the study, majority being females (83%). The mean age of the study population was 40.5 ± 12.05 years. Chest pain, dyspnea and palpitations were the common presenting complaints. All patients had suitable rims on 2D TEE. A good agreement was noted between 2D and 3D TEE for measured ASD diameters. 3D TEE showed that majority of defects were circular in shape (60%). The final device size used had high degree of correlation with 3D defect area and circumference. An equation was devised to predict device size using 3D defect area and circumference. The mean device size obtained from the equation was similar to the actual device size used in the study population (p = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: Device sizing based on 3D TEE parameters alone is equally effective for transcatheter ASD closure as compared to 2D TEE.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.270-275
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• 2019

The incidence of degenerative valve disease also increasing with the increasing life expectancy of the elderly population. Rheumatic valve disease is decreasing gradually and the incidence of calcified degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) is growing. Echocardiography is a very important tool for evaluating the prognosis and treatment method as well as the time of operation and diagnosis of heart valve disease. When evaluating valvular heart disease, 2-dimensional echocardiography, which observes all heart valves in detail, should take precedence. Understanding the clinical findings of degenerative valve disease and performing precise echocardiography are extremely important. In addition, an assessment of the severity of aortic stenosis is necessary to determine the surgical indications. An assessment of the severity by echocardiography was explained with three cases of degenerative aortic stenosis. To perform echocardiography accurately, it is necessary to understand degenerative valve disease and its clinical findings accurately.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.265-270
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• 1991

Since advent of the prosthetic cardiac valve replacement, much efforts for accurate assessing value function in-vivo have been attempted. To evaluate the postoperative functional and morphological status of the replaced cardiac valve prosthesis, 33 patients with valve replacement were studied by transthoracic and transesophageal 2-dimensional echocardiac imaging as well as by color Doppler flow velocity imaging. Twenty four patients had mitral valve replacement. 6 patients had aortic valve replacement and 3 patients had both mitral and aortic valve replacement. There were 34 mechanical and 2 biological prosthesis. Comparing to transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal approach showed transvalvular regurgitant jet flow amid the prosthetic mitral valve ring during. systole and much clear visualization of cardiac chamber behind prosthesis which could give shadowing effect to ultrasound beam. According to the quantitative grading by the length and area of mitral regurgitant flow, 24 out of 27 mitral valves revealed mild degree regurgitation considered as physiological after prosthetic bileaflet valve replacement and the other 3 valves including 2 biological prosthesis had moderate degree regurgitation which was regarded as pathologic one. 2 cases of left atrial thromboses and 1 case of paravalvular leakage which were not visible by transthoracic approach were identified by transesophageal echocardiography in patients with mitral valve replacement and patients with aortic valve replacement respectively. We conclude that in patients with prosthetic mitral valve replacement, transesophageal 2-dimensional imaging with color Doppler can suggest reliable information beyond that available from the transthoracic access even though it gives patient some discomfort to proceed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.12
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• pp.1363-1366
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• 2006

Aneurysmal dilatation of the ductus arteriosis has been considered a rare but potentially fatal abnormality. The mechanism of ductal aneurysmal formation remains uncertain. Plain chest radiography has proven helpful in the diagnosis of ductus arteriosus aneurysm (DAA), before the application of transthoracic echocardiography. The transthoracic echocardiography is an important tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of DAA. We present a case of congenital ductus arteriosus aneurysm in a newborn, that was an incidental discovery. The diagnosis was made by echocardiography, three-dimensional surface rendering computed tomography (CT), and spontaneous regression after four weeks of follow-up.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.267-272
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• 2002

Typical hypoplastic left heart syndrome(HLHS) is a distinct pathologic entity with aortic atresia, mitral atresia, very hypoplastic or absent left ventricle and thread like ascending aorta. Occasionally, the lesser degree of hypoplasia is found and is called hypoplastic left heart complex(HLHC) by some authors. This HLHC is often associated with critical aortic stenosis. Fetal echocardiography has enabled us to observe human fetal heart in-utero and to diagnose congenital heart disease prenatally over the last 20 years. The diagnosis of HLHS in fetal echocardiography is based on 2-dimensional echocardio -graphic evidence of a diminutive ascending aorta, aortic atresia, mitral atresia or severe stenosis and a hypoplastic left ventricle. Abnormal flow direction through atrial septum or through isthmus greatly aids the diagnosis. This report shows a fetal case who showed hypoplastic left side chambers and retrograde isthmic flow and was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. After birth, although the baby had tachy-dyspnea for the first 3 weeks, she finally recovered without any intervention and showed catch up growth of left side chambers. This case illustrates the extreme difficulty of assessing left ventricle in a fetus.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) in end-stage renal disease patients and its change after kidney transplantation (KT). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent KT between 2007 and 2018 at two tertiary centers. We analyzed 488 patients (median age, 53 years; 58% male) who had obtained echocardiography both before and within 3 years after KT. Conventional echocardiography and LV GLS assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography were comprehensively analyzed. Patients were classified into three groups according to the absolute value of pre-KT LV GLS (|LV GLS|). We compared longitudinal changes of cardiac structure and function according to pre-KT |LV GLS|. RESULTS: Correlation between pre-KT LV EF and |LV GLS| were statistically significant, but the constant was not high (r = 0.292, p < 0.001). |LV GLS| was widely distributed at corresponding LV EF, especially when the LV EF was > 50%. Patients with severely impaired pre-KT |LV GLS| had significantly larger LV dimension, LV mass index, left atrial volume index, and E/e' and lower LV EF, compared to mildly and moderately reduced pre-KT |LV GLS|. After KT, the LV EF, LV mass index, and |LV GLS| were significantly improved in three groups. Patients with severely impaired pre-KT |LV GLS| showed the most prominent improvement of LV EF and |LV GLS| after KT, compared to other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in LV structure and function after KT were observed in patients throughout the full spectrum of pre-KT |LV GLS|.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.234-245
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• 1989

Between January 1984 and December 1986, sixty nine patients, aged 16 months to 25 years [mean age 10.05*6.40 years], underwent total correction of tetralogy of Fallot in Kyungpook national university hospital. In 66 hospital survivors, 30 patients were followed up for 12 to 48 months [mean 30.10*10.26 months]. These 30 patients were classified in two groups, TAP [transannular patch] and Non-TAP group. There were 9 patients in TAP group, and 21 in Non-TAP group. There were no significant differences between two groups in terms of age at operation, follow up duration, ACC time, and bypass time. All patients were evaluated by two dimensional echocardiography, Doppler echocardiography, standard 12-lead electrocardiography, and plain chest X-ray. Right ventricular systolic pressure, pulmonary arterial systolic pressure, pressure gradient between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, presence or absence of pulmonary regurgitation and its grading, fractional shortening of the left ventricle, and Qp/Qs in case of remnant ventricular septal defect were obtained by echocardiographic examination. Cardiothoracic ratio was measured by plain chest film, and ventricular dysrrhythmia was detected by electrocardiogram. Comparing the data between two groups, there was significant difference in incidence of postoperative pulmonary regurgitation [p< 0.05], 100%[9/9] in TAP group and 47.6 %[10/21] in Non-TAP group, but all the regurgitations were not severe. There were no significant differences in other comparisons, despite of higher incidence of cardiomegaly in TAP group [CT ratio: 59.3*5.3% VS 54.7*6, 4 %].

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.121-131
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• 2001

Echocardiography and catheterization angiography suffer certain limitations in the evaluation of congenital heart diseases in adults, though these are overcome by MRI, in which a wide field-of view, unlimited multiplanar imaging capability and three-dimensional contrast-enhanced MR angiography techniques are used. In adults, recently introduced fast imaging techniques provide cardiac MR images of sufficient quality and with less artifacts. Ventricular volume, ejection fraction, and vascular flow measurements, including pressure gradients and pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio, can be calculated or obtained using fast cine MRI, phase-contrast MR flow-velocity mapping, and semiautomatic analysis software. MRI is superior to echocardiography in diagnosing partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection, unroofed coronary sinus, anomalies of the pulmonary arteries, aorta and systemic veins, complex heart diseases, and postsurgical sequelae. Biventricular function is reliably evaluated with cine MRI after repair of tetralogy of Fallot, and Senning's and Mustard's operations. MRI has an important and growing role in the morphologic and functional assessment of congenital heart diseases in adolescents and adults.