Exercise two‐dimensional echocardiography: A technique for improving ultrasound images during exercise stress

Abstract

Summary:A system of exercise stress echocardiography was developcd in which, during exercise on a bicycle ergometer in a semirecumbent position, the echocardiographic transducer is held by a special device which maintains ;I rclatively constant position between the transducer and the heart. The system was evaluated in 2 I healthy subjects and technically satisfactory studies were obtained in 20. In thcsc, thc resolution and relative position of the cardiac image remained stable throughout exercise. Blood pressure and heart rate increased appropriatcly with our protocol with supine exercise; 95% of the subjects reached 9W0 of their predicted maximum heart rate for age. Ejection fraction measured by echocardiography incrcascd from 54f1% to 70fl%. I t is concluded that the use of our transducer-holding device in subjects performing exercise in the supine position significantly improves ultrasonic image quality and should enhance the clinical usefulness of exercise stress echocardiography .