Quantification of Mitral Apparatus Dynamics in Functional and Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation Using Real-Time 3D Echocardiography

Mitral regurgitation (MR) in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM-MR) and MR in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ISC-MR) usually occurs as a result of mitral annulus (MA) dilatation and papillary muscle displacement secondary to global left ventricle remodelling. We propose a method to determine MA area and motion throughout the cardiac cycle and to define papillary muscle position in 3-dimensional space using real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography. Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography was performed in 24 healthy individuals, and in 30 patients with DCM-MR (n = 15) or ISC-MR (n = 15). Significant intergroup differences were noted in MA surface area (control: 6.4 ± 1.7 cm2; DCM-MR: 11.1 ± 2.6 cm2; ISC-MR: 9.0 ± 2.0 cm2) and in peak MA motion (control: 8.7 ± 3.0 mm; DCM-MR: 3.4 ± 1.7 mm; ISC-MR: 4.9 ± 1.5 mm). In patients with DCM-MR, papillary muscle symmetry was preserved, whereas in patients with ISC-MR, papillary tethering lengths were unequal as a result of wall-motion abnormalities. Our methodology for dynamic volumetric measurements of the mitral apparatus allows better understanding of MR mechanisms.