Impact of shear wave dispersion slope analysis for assessing the severity of myocarditis

Abstract

This study aimed to elucidate the utility of a novel ultrasound-based technique, shear wave dispersion slope (SWDS) analysis, which estimates tissue viscosity, for evaluating the severity of myocardial inflammation. Experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) at different disease phases [3-week (acute phase): n = 10, 5-week (subacute phase): n = 9, and 7-week (late phase): n = 11] were developed in male Lewis rats. SWDS was measured in the right and the left ventricular free walls (RVFW and LVFW) under a retrograde perfusion condition. Histological myocardial inflammation was evaluated by CD68 staining. The accumulation of CD68-positive cells was severe in the myocardium of the EAM 3-week group. The median (interquartile range) SWDS of RVFW was significantly higher in the EAM 3-week group [9.9 (6.5–11.0) m/s/kHz] than in the control group [5.4 (4.5–6.8) m/s/kHz] (P = 0.034). The median SWDS of LVFW was also significantly higher in the EAM 3-week group [8.1 (6.4–11.0) m/s/kHz] than in the control group [4.4 (4.2–4.8) m/s/kHz] (P = 0.003). SWDS and the percentage of CD68-positive area showed a significant correlation in RVFW (R2 = 0.64, P < 0.001) and LVFW (R2 = 0.73, P < 0.001). This study showed that SWDS was elevated in ventricular walls with acute inflammation and also significantly correlated with the degree of myocardial inflammation. These results suggest the potential of SWDS in estimating the histological severity of acute myocarditis.

Use of shear wave imaging with intestinal ultrasonography in patients with chronic diarrhea

“…A convex broadband probe I8CX1 (3.5-8 MHz) was used to observe the entire gut and locate the lesions. A linear array PS14L5 (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) was also used to evaluate the bowel wall thickness and blood flow patterns. Imaging was performed in the supine position to detect any segment of the small or large bowel that had wall thickness >3 mm for the small bowel wall thickness (SBWT) and >4 mm for the large bowel (LBWT).…”

“…Few studies done on liver, heart, inflammatory arthritis suggest that SWD can be a useful tool in diagnosing and monitoring inflammation, but SWD has not been used so far to assess inflammatory bowel diseases. 11 Hence this study was designed to evaluate the use of SWE and SWD along with IUS in patients with chronic diarrhea to determine (a) its ability to differentiate inflammatory from fibrotic strictures (b) to compare the findings of SWE with SWD and ultrasound with contrast-enhanced CT.…”

Ultrasonic Monitoring of the Water Content in Concentrated Water–Petroleum Emulsions Using the Slope of the Phase Spectrum

“…The determination of the water content in plant leaves is important in agriculture and ultrasound has gained relevance in this topic in the last years [ 29 ]. In a recent work from the medical area, the phase slope of ultrasonic shear waves was used for assessing the inflammation of the heart muscle [ 30 ].…”