A new three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) may improve cardiovascular assessment. It provides detailed information on the mechanics and performance of the heart. The results were published in European Heart Journal-Cardiovascular Imaging.

Parameters such as pressure-volume (PV) loops and intraventricular pressure gradients (IVPG) require invasive procedures. However, this new technique uses physics-based modeling to derive PV loops, IVPG, and left ventricular (LV) strain tensors from standard 3D echocardiography (3DE) data.

The researchers analyzed 3DE scans from 1,403 subjects to generate normative values and explore demographic variations. Researchers found limited sex- and age-related differences in PV loop and strain parameters, though IVPG reduced with age but remained consistent between sexes.

Significant differences were seen across racial groups. Asian individuals had smaller hearts; however, they had higher ejection fraction, strain, and PV loop performance than the White and Black populations. White subjects had higher functional scores than Black individuals, despite similar LV sizes. However, IVPG was generally uniform across all racial groups, suggesting this measure may be more resistant to anatomical variation.

With 70% feasibility in applying the technique to standard 3DE images, this method may have the potential for widespread clinical use.