TY - JOUR
T1 - A tale of two echoes
T2 - ultraportable versus standard echocardiography in patients with left ventricular dysfunction
AU - Eng-Frost, Joanne
AU - Ravikulan, Rohanti
AU - Chan, Jasmine
AU - Kim, Kate
AU - Lorensini, Scott
AU - George, Kate
AU - Rasheed, Emilie
AU - Lehman, Sam
AU - Joseph, Majo
AU - De Pasquale, Carmine G.
PY - 2025/9
Y1 - 2025/9
N2 - Background: Handheld echocardiography (HHE) is an emerging tool offering portability and convenience for cardiac imaging. However, its validity in hospitalised patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is unclear. Aims: To determine the concordance of key LV and right ventricular (RV) echocardiographic parameters obtained by HHE and standard echocardiography (SE) in hospitalised patients with LV dysfunction. Methods: This prospective study evaluated hospitalised patients with an echocardiogram during admission demonstrating LV ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. Key LV and right ventricular (RV) echocardiographic parameters were measured using both standard echocardiography (SE) and HHE. Concordance and differences between both imaging modalities were evaluated using Pearson correlation and paired Student t test, with significance defined as P < 0.05. Results: A total of 156 patients were included. No significant differences were observed between SE and HH for LV end-diastolic diameter (5.23 ± 0.87 vs. 5.28 ± 0.72 cm respectively, P = 0.348), LVEF (33.36 ± 9.2 vs. 33.17 ± 9.09, P = 0.521), LV outflow tract velocity time integral (15.83 ± 4.95 vs. 15.80 ± 5.05, P = 0.856) and inferior vena cava diameter (1.96 ± 0.48 vs. 1.92 ± 0.44, P = 0.122). Significant differences were noted for RV basal diameter (3.87 ± 0.63 cm vs. 3.76 ± 0.68 cm, P < 0.001) and tricuspid annular systolic excursion (1.76 ± 0.46 cm vs. 1.83 ± 0.47 cm, P = 0.025). Conclusions: HHE demonstrates strong concordance with SE for LV parameters. Discrepancies were observed for RV parameters, although the clinical implications of these differences are unclear. These findings highlight the evolving role of HHE as a reliable and accessible tool for experienced users, particularly for monitoring hospitalised patients such as those with acute heart failure, where the use of serial SE may enhance clinical decision-making but is limited by logistical barriers.
AB - Background: Handheld echocardiography (HHE) is an emerging tool offering portability and convenience for cardiac imaging. However, its validity in hospitalised patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is unclear. Aims: To determine the concordance of key LV and right ventricular (RV) echocardiographic parameters obtained by HHE and standard echocardiography (SE) in hospitalised patients with LV dysfunction. Methods: This prospective study evaluated hospitalised patients with an echocardiogram during admission demonstrating LV ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. Key LV and right ventricular (RV) echocardiographic parameters were measured using both standard echocardiography (SE) and HHE. Concordance and differences between both imaging modalities were evaluated using Pearson correlation and paired Student t test, with significance defined as P < 0.05. Results: A total of 156 patients were included. No significant differences were observed between SE and HH for LV end-diastolic diameter (5.23 ± 0.87 vs. 5.28 ± 0.72 cm respectively, P = 0.348), LVEF (33.36 ± 9.2 vs. 33.17 ± 9.09, P = 0.521), LV outflow tract velocity time integral (15.83 ± 4.95 vs. 15.80 ± 5.05, P = 0.856) and inferior vena cava diameter (1.96 ± 0.48 vs. 1.92 ± 0.44, P = 0.122). Significant differences were noted for RV basal diameter (3.87 ± 0.63 cm vs. 3.76 ± 0.68 cm, P < 0.001) and tricuspid annular systolic excursion (1.76 ± 0.46 cm vs. 1.83 ± 0.47 cm, P = 0.025). Conclusions: HHE demonstrates strong concordance with SE for LV parameters. Discrepancies were observed for RV parameters, although the clinical implications of these differences are unclear. These findings highlight the evolving role of HHE as a reliable and accessible tool for experienced users, particularly for monitoring hospitalised patients such as those with acute heart failure, where the use of serial SE may enhance clinical decision-making but is limited by logistical barriers.
KW - echocardiography
KW - handheld ultrasound
KW - heart failure
KW - left ventricular dysfunction
KW - point-of-care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105010838732&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/imj.70156
DO - 10.1111/imj.70156
M3 - Article
C2 - 40671668
AN - SCOPUS:105010838732
SN - 1444-0903
VL - 55
SP - 1541
EP - 1546
JO - Internal Medicine Journal
JF - Internal Medicine Journal
IS - 9
ER -