Echocardiogram is an ultrasound image of the heart that demonstrates the size, motion and composition of cardiac structures and is also used to diagnose various abnormalities of the heart including abnormal chamber size, shape and congenital heart disease. Echocardiography provides important morphological and functional details of the heart. Most of the presented automatic cardiac disease recognition systems that use echocardiograms based on defective anatomical region detection. In this paper we present a simple technique for cardiac geometry detection via echocardiogram images which conquer these borders and exploits cues from cardiac structure. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique, we present results for cardiac geometry detection through difference intensity of echocardiogram images. We have developed a simple program code for the prediction of cardiac geometry using difference intensity of echocardiogram images. With this code, users can generate node or point for detection of cardiac geometry as ventricle and atrium in size, shape and location.
Iron deposition in the heart occurs in beta-thalassaemia major and contributes to cardiac dysfunction. Eighteen patients with beta-thalassaemia major were assessed clinically and had non-invasive investigations. They were young (15.5 +/- 3.6 years). Two patients had clinical heart failure. Doppler echocardiography demonstrated higher transmitral peak flow velocity in early and late diastole compared with controls (e: p<0.05, a: p<0.01). Transtricuspid peak late diastolic flow velocity was higher in patients (p<0.005). Isovolumic relaxation time was shortened (p<0.001). Pulmonary venous flow velocity was higher in diastole than systole (S: 0.51 +/- 0.11 m/s, D: 0.62 +/- 0.08 m/s). Reversal of pulmonary venous flow during atrial systole was seen in eight patients. These diastolic filling abnormalities did not significantly change with blood transfusion. Left ventricular ejection fraction was normal in patients. Two patients had cardiomegaly on chest X-ray. In beta-thalassaemia with iron overload, there is a restrictive pattern of diastolic dysfunction. This is not altered by recent blood transfusion. Left ventricular function remains relatively intact.
An inverted left atrial appendage is a rare phenomenon post cardiac surgery. The lesion presents as an additional mass in the left atrium, which would trigger unnecessary concerns and frequently, a battery of tests. The lesion can be easily diagnosed using echocardiography. We report a case of inverted left atrial appendage in a patient post repair of common arterial trunk. Echocardiographic pictures and features which help to identify this lesion as well as to differentiate it from other possible left atrial mass are described. This article aimed to improve the awareness of sonographers toward this rare but possible post operative lesion.