The Potential Value of Ultrasonic Deformation Measurement in Differentiating Regional Ischaemic Substrates During Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography

The differentiation between differing regional ischaemic substrates is crucial for decision-making in patients with coronary artery disease. This study demonstrates that quantification of dobutamine stress echocardiography using ultrasonic strain measurement has the potential to identify three differing regional ischaemic substrates (ischaemic, stunned and scarred) in the same patient. The data were validated by traditional analysis of dobutamine stress echo, coronary angiography and correlative quantitative positron emission tomography information.