Speckle tracking echocardiography is a newer alternative technique for characterizing myocardial motion and contraction. This work is supported by the human frontiers science program and by nih. In this study, although patients with inadequate 2d image quality were excluded, there were still 23 segments included in the later image analysis. A speckle is commonly defined as the spatial distribution of gray values in the ultrasound image. Richand v, lafitte s, reant p, serri k, lafitte m, brette s, kerouani a, chalabi h, dos santos p, douard h, et al. Myocardial strain measurement with 2dimensional speckle.
Speckletracking imaging, principles and clinical applications. Direct comparison of cardiac magnetic resonance feature. These methods are based on the measurement of near. Activation imaging can be shown in plastic bag andor polar map view. Speckle tracking echocardiography in ischemic heart. One possible application of the method is in the assessment of ventricular dyssyncrony. Original investigationozgun arastirma by the anatolian journal of cardiology anadolu kardiyoloji dergisi. A very modular design, that makes it easy to extend. Speckle tracking and region detection a fully automated 2d speckle tracking algorithm has been used, which implements a correlationbased method to track the motion of the myocardium from frame to frame across the whole image. We present an acute canine model that integrates a complex sonomicrometer array. The intensity of these speckles is clearly high enough though that im confident. Provides several visualization and analysis tools that aid in assessing results. Jan 01, 2009 myocardial strain measurement with 2dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Speckle tracking software is launched directly on the echocardiography machine and applied to the rv.
Health, general healthcare industry software software. Regional myocardial strain analysis via 2d speckle tracking. Regional myocardial strain analysis via 2d speckle. Methods and results the characteristics and course of heart failure stages ab and determinants of progression staab cohort study recruited a representative sample of the. Thomas the interpretation of wall motion is an important component of echocardiography but remains a source of variation between observers.
While conventional echocardiography is limited by subjective image interpretation and a strong dependence on the individual examiners expertise, ste has been introduced as a reproducible and more objective method to. Regional myocardial strain analysis via 2d speckle tracking echocardiography. The software then automatically divided the shortaxis image into 6 standard segments and provided an automated tracking score, similar to statistical standard deviation, as feedback of the stability of the regional speckle tracking, ranging from 1. Speckle tracking allows you to look at the timing of regional contraction. It was an important first step in the development of generally accepted tools for.
Speckle trackerj is an imagej plugin created for recording the position of numerous speckles as they move through time. The first plugin which is now part of mosaicsuite was a popular 2d3d singleparticle tracking tool which can be used to track bright spots in 2d3d. Particle tracker particle tracker is a 2d feature pointtracking plugin for the automated detection and analysis of particle trajectories as recorded by video imaging in cell biology. Twist or torsional deformation define the basetoapex gradient and is the result of myocardial shearing in the circumferentiallongitudinal planes such that, when viewed from the apex, the base rotates in a counterclockwise direction.
As with optical flow methods, the underlying principle is based on the recognition of patterns of features or irregularities in the image to be. Automated speckle tracking algorithm to aid onaxis. Next 2, the software automatically defines the region. Carotid arterial circumferential strain by twodimensional.
Aims we aimed to provide reference values for speckletracking derived systolic and diastolic myocardial deformation markers, and to determine their relation with age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. It is part of the mosaicsuite, which also offers image segmentation, interaction analysis, and much more. Versatile and modular solution that works out of the box for end users. Leano, joseph brown, jingping sun, rainer hoffmann, peter lysyansky, michael becker, james d. Strainbased imaging techniques and specifically speckletracking echocardiography have been shown to have clinical utility in a variety of settings. Assessment of right ventricular contraction by speckle. You will see a speckle mark for the new speckle track. We investigated the potential of timeresolved threedimensional ultrasonography coupled with speckle tracking algorithms and finite element analysis as a novel method for noninvasive in vivo assessment of aortic wall strain. However, tracking of a specific speckled pattern incurs a risk of tracking error, and the blockmatching method has been used to improve tracking accuracy. Image acquisition several key steps need to be undertaken for optimal derivationcalculation of regional and global deformation. Speckle tracking echocardiography ste is a recently developed technique for the characterization and quantification of myocardial deformation.
Speckle tracking is one of two methods for strain rate imaging, the other being tissue doppler. The rv was divided into free wall and interventricular septum, and free wall was further divided into anterior wall, lateral wall and inferior wall figure 3. Software for semiautomated tracking of muscle fascicles in. A threshold range is set to tell the objects of interest apart from the background. Offline speckletracking analysis was performed on digitally stored gray scale images using custom software echopac pc bt08. If the tracking does not seem to be accurate, one can go back and readjust the roi or select an altogether new roi. Imagej plugin for imagej and runs on all platforms with java installed, idl. Continuous images were then processed by using tissue motion quantification software package to calculate the left ventricular cs. A tool for automated, and semiautomated particle tracking.
Trackmate is a fiji 14 plugin available through this software platform. Dec 02, 2012 the software then tracks the myocardial speckles framebyframe and generates moving images displaying the tracking. Speckletracking echocardiography ste is a recently developed technique for the characterization and quantification of myocardial deformation. Assessment of tricuspid annular motion by speckle tracking i. A region of interest was traced on the endocardium and epicardium at enddiastole in the. This is the first study in which all currently commercially available 2d speckle tracking software packages have been tested on synthetic ultrasound data. Devore et altwodimensional speckle tracking of the fetal heart 1766 j ultrasound med 2016.
Correct alignment of the imaging plane to avoid foreshortening of the rv is another potential pitfall of tmad, as with any other 2d imaging technique. The approach is broadly comparable to particle image velocimetry 3, 4 used in fluid dynamics. The software then tracks the myocardial speckles framebyframe and generates moving images displaying the tracking. Speckle tracking echocardiography ste is an emerging diagnostic tool for the quantitative evaluation of myocardial performance. Jun 30, 2014 speckle tracking echocardiography in ischemic heart disease. Pdf automated speckle tracking in ultrasound images of. Several of the image processing algorithms developed at the mosaic group for fluorescence microscopy are available as plugins for the popular free image processing software imagej2 or fiji. The result of a speckletracking procedure followed by regularization process is an estimate of the inplane velocity vector in all pixels in each of the frames of the ultrasound data set dynamic velocity vector field.
Particle tracker is a 2d and 3d feature point tracking tool for the automated detection and tracking of particle trajectories as recorded by video imaging in cell biology. Philips medical, andover, ma, which evaluates the displacement of the tricuspid annulus toward the apex during the cardiac cycle. Tricuspid tmad by speckle tracking was derived using commercial software cardiac motion quantification, qlab 10. How do i quantify speckles from an image in imagej. Speckle trackerj can also be used to track similarly featured objects. Ste offers the opportunity to track myocardial deformation independently of both cardiac translation and the insonation angle. Speckle tracking echocardiography ste is increasingly used during functional assessments. Speckle tracking can be affected by a number of factors, including signal dropout, reverberation, clutter artifacts, throughplane motion, lateral resolution, and temporal resolution. Myocardial strain measurement with 2dimensional speckletracking echocardiography.
Fiji users only need to enable the imagescience update site to install mtrackj. If this process is imaged using a fluorescent strain labeled for nuclei. I would like to redirect the reader to earlier published work by our group open access paper, click link where we describe our applied methods for the optimal image acquisition. Novel speckletracking radial strain from routine black. Strain is a unitless measurement of dimensional or deformational change. By allowing measurement of the different components of myocardial deformation, it provides information which is not available with any of the currently used echocardiographic parameters, including left ventricular ejection fraction lvef. Three dimensional 3d speckle tracking echocardiography is a novel and promising commercially available tool to characterize and quantify myocardial segmental figure 8 and rotational mechanics figure 9. Speckle tracking echocardiography ste for detection of lv myocardial strain is a novel cardiac imaging technique assessed by echocardiography.
However, reproducibility and dependence on echocardiographic image quality for speckle tracking stress. Speckle trackerj an imagej plugin for interactive, computer. Quantitative regional strain analysis by speckle tracking echocardiography ste may be particularly useful in the assessment of myocardial ischemia and viability, although reliable measurement of regional strain remains challenging, especially in the circumferential and radial directions. The package can be operated via a convenient graphical user interface. How to image the coronary arteries by echo duration. An ultrasound speckle tracking twodimensional strain analysis of myocardial deformation in professional soccer players compared with healthy subjects and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Of the 72 patients, 12 were excluded due to suboptimal tee image quality. Trackmate use the menu command plugins tracking trackmate. In this work, we propose an imagej script to automate the entire analysis. Accordingly, speck le tracking is a method of estimating the location and vector of regional myocardium on sequential bmode images. Mtrackj is an imagej plugin to facilitate tracking of moving objects in image sequences and the measurement of track statistics. Speckle tracking is a technology that is dependent on good 2d image quality. The plugin can handle up to fivedimensional 5d images of any type supported by imagej.
The result of a speckletracking procedure followed by regularization process is an estimate of the inplane velocity vector in all pixels in. This method determines strain and strain rates avoiding dopplerassociated angulation errors and tethering artifacts with a good correlation to sonomicrometry and tagged magnetic resonance imaging r 0. Firewire and gige vision camera control software windows only civilcapture. Philips qlab chamber motion quantification, ge automated function imaging, and siemens velocity vector imaging. Aortic wall strains are indicators of biomechanical changes of the aorta due to aging or progressing pathologies such as aortic aneurysm. In a normal patient, the activation starts in the apex denoted by red and then moves along with sequential colors. Transthoracic speckle tracking echocardiography for the. The technology of tissue tracking falls in a general category of image postprocessing methods known as optical flow 1, 2.
Speckletracking analysis of global strain with echocardiography offers clinically relevant parameters to detect subtle lv dysfunction and provide prognostic information over conventional parameters. The algorithm is decsribed in sbalzarini and koumoutsakos 20051. Speckle trackerj combines manual editing and computer assisted techniques to accurately position, detect and track speckles. As such, many modern ultrasound packages overcome these limitations by combining speckle tracking with tracking of other features in the image, including the. Visual inspection of the moving image allows the operator to determine the adequacy of the tracking. This chapter will provide an overview on dyssynchrony and how the speckle tracking curves can help you to detect, and even quantify, the magnitude of dyssynchrony. Interpretation of speckletracking strain must take into consideration both technical and clinical sources of variability. Equipment and software providers of 2d speckletracking hardware and software25 vendor ultrasound equipment software analysis dependent on hardware and vendorspecific. Strainbased imaging techniques and specifically speckle tracking echocardiography have been shown to have clinical utility in a variety of settings.
Echocardiography, twodimensional, deformationimaging, strain, strainrate, speckletracking. It allows a nondestructive process for the detection of activities that are not easily observable, such as seed viability, paint drying, bacterial activities, corrosion processes, food decomposition, fruit. Automatic particle analysis requires a binary, black and white, image. Assessment of tricuspid annular motion by speckle tracking. Speckletracking echocardiography correctly identifies segmental left ventricular dysfunction induced by scarring in a rat model of myocardial infarction zoran b. Particle tracker is a 2d and 3d feature pointtracking tool for the automated detection and tracking of particle trajectories as recorded by video imaging in cell biology. Twodimensional speckletracking assesses myocardial motion by tracking speckles in the ultrasonic image. Ashlee m davis 1, david adams 1, ashwin venkateshvaran 2, fawaz alenezi 1 1 department of medicine, division of cardiology, duke cardiac diagnostic unit, duke university, durham, nc, usa 2 department of medicine, division of cardiology, cardiac diagnostic unit, stockholm, sweden. Acute changes in systolic and diastolic events during clinical coronary angioplasty. Myocardial strain measured by speckletracking echocardiography. It measures lv regional and global deformations in response to force as a marker of contractility and elasticity. It is advisable to analyze the apical longaxis image i. Jun 15, 2018 speckle tracking echocardiography ste is increasingly used during functional assessments.
Principles of cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature. All pixels in the image whose values lie under the threshold are converted to black and all pixels with values above the threshold are converted to white, or viceversa. An open and extensible platform for singleparticle tracking. Esmaeilzadehpandian relation between arterial elastance and circumferential strain.
Method for aortic wall strain measurement with three. Speckletracking strain is an increasingly used echocardiographic technology that can provide additional if not potentially incremental clinical utility. Speckle tracking echocardiography assesses deformation directly in the myocardium and identify subtle changes not evident by other imaging methods. Therefore, ste can be used to study dyssynchrony in potential crt candidates. We investigated the potential of timeresolved threedimensional ultrasonography coupled with speckletracking algorithms and finite element analysis as a novel method for noninvasive in vivo assessment of aortic wall strain. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.
Speckle tracking echocardiography ste is a new, noninvasive method for the assessment of left ventricular lv global and regional function. Apr 12, 2012 offline speckletracking analysis was performed on digitally stored gray scale images using custom software echopac pc bt08. Conversely zoom out is or with the appropriate button. Clinical applications of speckle tracking novel echocardiographic techniques allow the assessment of myocardial strain. Speckle tracking echocardiography in ischemic heart disease.
Speckle tracking echocardiography speckle tracking imaging, currently marketed as 2dstrain or vvi is the most recently developed ultrasound technique to simultaneously assess regional myocardial function in multiple segments. Tracking of single fluorophores via speckle trackerj allows for. Please note that trackmate is available through fiji, and is based on a publication. Image analysis tools to quantify cell shape and protein. Speckle tracking imaging can help in the diagnosis of acute myocarditis when cmr is not readily available. Strain analysis by speckle tracking echocardiography. Speckle tracking echocardiography can accurately evaluate rv deformation and gain the global and regional systolic function. Pdf speckle tracking imaging in inflammatory heart diseases. Speckle tracking derived reference values of myocardial. Some speckletracking methods are based on socalled block matching, where a region in the image is selected the kernel and is followed in the next image frame by subsequently trying out different positions and by determining the similarity between the kernel and the pattern observed in that position. The laser dynamic speckle is an optical phenomenon produced when a laser light is reflected from an illuminated surface undergoing some kind of activity. It was an important first step in the development of generally accepted tools for qa of speckle tracking echocardiography. Acoustic dropout and low frame rate can contribute to poor tracking of speckles, leading to erroneous measurements. Thomas the interpretation of wall motion is an important component of echocardiography but remains a.