Feasibility of real-time three-dimensional stress echocardiography: pharmacological and semi-supine exercise

Background: Real time three dimensional (RT3D) echocardiography is an accurate and reproducible method for assessing left ventricular shape and function. Aim: assess the feasibility and reproducibility of RT3D stress echocardiography (SE) (exercise and pharmacological) in the evaluation of left ventricular function compared to 2D. Methods and results: One hundred eleven patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease underwent 2D and RT3DSE. The agreement in WMSI, EDV, ESV measurements was made off-line. The feasibility of RT-3DSE was 67%. The inter-observer variability for WMSI by RT3D echo was higher during exercise and with suboptimal quality images (good: k = 0.88; bad: k = 0.69); and with high heart rate both for pharmacological (HR 100 bpm, k