Analysis of regional left ventricular function by color kinesis in patients with coronary artery disease

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of Color Kinesis (CK), a new echocardiographic technique based on tissue characterization, as an alternative method to analyse regional wall motion abnormalities. CK displays endocardia! motion in color layers, so that motion is displayed on a single endsystolic frame. We performed CK and standard two-dimensional echocardiography (2D) in 16 patients (pts) with coronary artery disease (CAD). Images were analysed by scoring a 16 segment model both by standard 2D and CK. Wall motion analysis was graded as normal, hypokinetic, akinetic, dyskinetic. CK was used to track diastolic endocardia! motion on a frame-byframe basis, from end-systole to end-diastole; end-systolic and end-diastolic frames were evaluated. Standard 2D and CK echocardiograms were stored in a cine loop format. Wall motion abnormalities were recognized by CK in all segments in different views in 82% concordant with adequate 2D imaging. By standard 2D 18/41 abnormal segments were identified in patients with single vessel disease and 46/87 abnormal segments in patients with multivessel disease. CK identified 15/41 abnormal segments in pts with single vessel disease and 47/87 abnormal segments in pts with multivessel disease. Thus, CK appears as a feasible, promising technique to detect wall motion abnormalities in coronary artery disease.