MRI-augmented right heart catheterization: a pilot study

Abstract

tool for cardiac dysfunction in space. We aimed to develop an open-access strain-based model, using speckle tracking, onto which specific astronaut data could be imposed. Methods: 10 patients with cardiomyopathy underwent echocardiography with a GE Vivid 7 and Philips HDI5000. EchoPAC global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis was applied to the GE data, while two universal strain software programs, Velocity Vector Imaging v3.0 (VVI) (Siemens Corp) and EchoInsight v1.0 (Epsilon Imaging, USA),were applied to raster versions of both sets of images. A novel universal strain modelling software was developed to derive strain (usmGLS) directly from DICOM data and was applied to preflight, inflight (HDI5000) and postflight echocardiograms, on astronauts traveling to the International Space Station (ISS). Results: GLS analysed with the Vivid 7 and EchoPAC correlated with universal software systems: VVI r = 0.92, p <0.0001 (mean difference -1+/4) and EchoInsight r = 0.84, p = 0.001 (mean difference -3 +/9). GLS for the same patients on the HDI5000 was also comparable r = 0.69, p = 0.002 (mean difference -3 +/7). The open-source usmGLS had comparable correlation with VVI r = 0.72, p <0.05 when applied to astronaut data. usmGLS reduced in microgravity (mean 2.8%, p<0.05) and decreased with days in flight (Fig. 1. r = 0.16, p = 0.5). Conclusion: Raster-based, speckle tracking strain analysis from the ISS echo model provides comparable strain values to contemporary standards. A universal strain software platform has been developed which can be applied to any input, including Vscan avi files. Source code is freely available at https://github.com/ABI-Software-Laboratory/ICMA.