In this paper, we propose an improved region-based active contour method based on the development of a novel signed pressure force (SPF) function. To obtain required boundary, is applied to echocardiographic images. Ultrasound image segmentation particularly challenging due speckle noise, low contrast, and intensity inhomogeneity. Because these factors, segmenting images difficult task. All iss...

Epicardial fat plays a role in cardiovascular diseases. Because of its anatomic and functional proximity to the myocardium and its intense metabolic activity, some interactions between the heart and its visceral fat depot have been suggested. Epicardial fat can be visualized and measured using standard two-dimensional echocardiography. Standard parasternal long-axis and short-axis views permit ...

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) has become an important modality for the assessment of cardiac structure and function in animal experiments. The acquisition of echocardiographic images in rats requires sedation/anesthesia to keep the rats immobile. Commonly used anesthetic regimens include intraperitoneal or inhalational application of various anesthetics. Several studies have compared the...

The ability of the echocardiogram to define mitral valve opening and closure was assessed by simultaneously recording the echocardiogram of the anterior leaflet (ECHO) with intracardiac pressures, aortic second sound, and ECG on 38 occasions in 14 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Hemodynamic opening and closure were defined by intersection of the pulmonary wedge and left ventricular...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to analyze the late results with open mitral commissurotomy in patients with low echocardiographic scores and to identify variables influencing these late results. METHODS We studied 50 patients who underwent open mitral commissurotomy due to rheumatic mitral stenosis at the Heart Institute University of São Paulo Medical School. Enrolled patients had a...

AIMS To study heart rate (HR) variability and HR turbulence parameters in mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis (AS) and to disclose whether any relationship exists between these parameters and echocardiographic findings. METHODS AND RESULTS Forty-three asymptomatic patients with mild-to-moderate AS (AS group) were studied. Echocardiographic parameters and HR variability and HR turbulence indices ...

In recent years, percutaneous procedures have been used increasingly to correct structural heart disease. Many of these procedures require transseptal puncture to access the left heart chambers, although complications such as cardiac tamponade and aortic perforation may occur. In certain situations, puncture of the atrial septum is required (for placement of a MitraClip device or closure of the...

BACKGROUND Echocardiographic optimization of pacemaker settings is the current standard of care for patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy. However, the process requires considerable time of expert staff. The BRAVO study is a non-inferiority trial comparing echocardiographic optimization of atrioventricular (AV) and interventricular (VV) delay with an alternative method using n...