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Feasibility of proximal right coronary artery imaging by 2D and 3D echocardiography in comparison to coronary angiography

Echo Research & Practice volume 2, pages 73–79 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

The present study was carried out to test the feasibility of proximal right coronary artery (RCA) imaging and to detect proximal RCA narrowing and occlusion by 2D and 3D transthoracic echocardiography in comparison to coronary angiography (CA). Standardised 2D and 3D echocardiography were performed prior to CA in 97 patients with sinus rhythm. The following parameters were determined: the longest longitudinal detectable RCA segment, the minimum and maximum width of the RCA, the area and number of detectable narrowing >50% of the proximal RCA and the correlation between the echocardiographic and angiographic findings. The visualisation of the proximal RCA and the detection of coronary artery narrowing in the proximal RCA are generally possible. Differences in width and area were not statistically significant between 2D and 3D echocardiography, but showed significant differences between echocardiography and CA. For the detection of proximal RCA narrowing, higher sensitivity and specificity values were obtained by 2D than by 3D echocardiography. However, in patients with sufficient image quality 3D echocardiography permits a more detailed visualisation of the anatomical proportions and an en-face view into the RCA ostium. The visualisation of the proximal RCA is feasible and narrowing can be detected by 2D and 3D echocardiography if image quality is sufficient. CA is the gold standard for the detection of coronary artery stenoses. However, the potential of this new approach is clinically important because crucial findings of the proximal RCA can be presumably detected non-invasively prior to CA.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

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Author notes

  1. S Stoebe and K Lange contributed equally to this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology and Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Neurology and Dermatology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Stephan Stoebe MD, Katharina Lange MD, Dietrich Pfeiffer PhD & Andreas Hagendorff PhD

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  1. Stephan Stoebe MD
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  2. Katharina Lange MD
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  3. Dietrich Pfeiffer PhD
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  4. Andreas Hagendorff PhD
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Correspondence to Stephan Stoebe MD.

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S Stoebe is now at Jahnallee 1, 04109 Leipzig, Germany

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Stoebe, S., Lange, K., Pfeiffer, D. et al. Feasibility of proximal right coronary artery imaging by 2D and 3D echocardiography in comparison to coronary angiography. Echo Res Pract 2, 73–79 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1530/ERP-15-0014

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/ERP-15-0014

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Echo Research & Practice

ISSN: 2055-0464

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