scholarly journals Importance of Contrast Transthoracic Echocardiography for Evaluating Large Right-to-Left Shunt in Patent Foramen Ovale Associated with Cryptogenic Stroke

Author(s):  
Yoichi Takaya ◽  
Rie Nakayama ◽  
Teiji Akagi ◽  
Fumi Yokohama ◽  
Takashi Miki ◽  
...  

Abstract Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an effective therapy for preventing cryptogenic stroke (CS). The identification of high-risk PFO, which is more likely to be linked to CS, is essential. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of contrast transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for evaluating large right-to-left (RL) shunt. We enrolled 119 patients with or without CS who were confirmed to have PFO. The severity of RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was classified as follows: small (<10 microbubbles), moderate (10–20 microbubbles), and large (>20 microbubbles). With contrast TTE, large RL shunt was observed in 94 (79%) of 119 patients, including 66 of 74 with CS and 28 of 45 without CS. With contrast TEE, large RL shunt was observed in 33 (28%) patients, including 26 with CS and 7 without CS. Contrast TTE showed large RL shunt more frequently than contrast TEE (p < 0.01). Large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE had a sensitivity of 89% and an accuracy of 70% for the association with CS, whereas large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TEE had a sensitivity of 35% and an accuracy of 56%. Accuracy was significantly greater in contrast TTE than in contrast TEE (p = 0.02). In conclusion, contrast TTE identified large RL shunt more frequently. Large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE provided greater accuracy for the association with CS. Our findings suggest that contrast TTE is valuable for evaluating large RL shunt as high-risk PFO.

Author(s):  
Yoichi Takaya ◽  
Rie Nakayama ◽  
Teiji Akagi ◽  
Fumi Yokohama ◽  
Takashi Miki ◽  
...  

Background: Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an effective therapy for preventing cryptogenic stroke (CS). The identification of high-risk PFO, which is more likely to be linked to CS, is essential. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of contrast transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for evaluating large right-to-left (RL) shunt. Methods: We enrolled 119 patients with or without CS who were confirmed to have PFO. The severity of RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was classified as follows: small (<10 microbubbles), moderate (10–20 microbubbles), and large (>20 microbubbles). Results: With contrast TTE, large RL shunt was observed in 94 (79%) of 119 patients, including 66 of 74 with CS and 28 of 45 without CS. With contrast TEE, large RL shunt was observed in 33 (28%) patients, including 26 with CS and 7 without CS. Contrast TTE showed large RL shunt more frequently than contrast TEE (P < .01). Large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE had a sensitivity of 89% and an accuracy of 70% for the association with CS, whereas large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TEE had a sensitivity of 35% and an accuracy of 56%. Accuracy was significantly greater in contrast TTE than in contrast TEE (P = .02). Conclusion: Contrast TTE identified large RL shunt more frequently. Large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE provided greater accuracy for the association with CS. Our findings suggest that contrast TTE is valuable for evaluating large RL shunt as high-risk PFO.


Author(s):  
Yoichi Takaya ◽  
Rie Nakayama ◽  
Teiji Akagi ◽  
Fumi Yokohama ◽  
Takashi Miki ◽  
...  

AbstractTranscatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an effective therapy for preventing recurrent stroke in very specific patient cohorts, such as cryptogenic stroke (CS). The identification of high-risk PFO, which is more likely to be linked to CS, is essential. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of saline contrast transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for evaluating large right-to-left (RL) shunt. We enrolled 119 patients with or without CS who were confirmed to have PFO by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or catheterization. The severity of RL shunt evaluated by TTE and TEE was classified as follows: small (< 10 microbubbles), moderate (10–20 microbubbles), and large (> 20 microbubbles). With TTE, large RL shunt was observed in 94 (79%) of 119 patients, including 66 of 74 with CS and 28 of 45 without CS. With TEE, large RL shunt was observed in 33 (28 %) patients, including 26 with CS and 7 without CS. TTE showed large RL shunt more frequently than TEE (p < 0.01). Large RL shunt evaluated by TTE had a sensitivity of 89 % and an accuracy of 70 % for the association with CS, whereas large RL shunt evaluated by TEE had a sensitivity of 35% and an accuracy of 56 %. Accuracy was significantly greater in TTE than in TEE (p = 0.02). In conclusion, TTE identified large RL shunt associated with CS with higher sensitivity and accuracy compared to TEE. Our findings suggest that the decision for device closure should be made based on the severity of RL shunt by TTE.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-133
Author(s):  
Madison B. Stafford ◽  
Jennifer E. Bagley ◽  
Dora DiGiacinto

The correlation between cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale is high in young patients. Currently, transesophageal echocardiography is the gold standard for detection. However, it is invasive and limits Valsalva maneuvers. This article reviews the diagnostic accuracy of the three modalities: transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and transcranial Doppler. The results suggest that transcranial Doppler sonography is an accurate, easily accessible procedure for detecting patent foramen ovale and should be considered an excellent alternative to transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography is still necessary for patients who require treatment. The combination of transcranial Doppler and transesophageal echocardiography provides the highest level of information regarding the complete diagnosis of patent foramen ovales.


Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Wessler ◽  
David E Thaler ◽  
Marco R Di Tullio ◽  
Robin Ruthazer ◽  
Christian Weimar ◽  
...  

Introduction: A patent foramen ovale (PFO) discovered in the setting of a cryptogenic stroke (CS) may be stroke-related or incidental. We have developed a score to stratify CS patients according to the probability that the event is attributable to a PFO (the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) Score), based on easily obtainable clinical and neuroradiological (but not transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) variables. In this study, we examined whether putative “high risk” TEE features - shunt size, presence of a hypermobile septum, and presence of a right-to-left shunt at rest - vary across RoPE Score strata. Methods and Results: The RoPE Study combined existing cohort studies to create a pooled database of patients with CS and PFO. We dichotomized patients into groups and examined whether putative high risk TEE features are seen more frequently in those with “probable stroke-related” PFOs (RoPE Score of >6, estimated PFO attributable fraction 72-99%, n=637) than in those with lower RoPE Scores (<6, PFO attributable fraction 0-71%, n=657). None of the TEE features differed between the groups (large physiologic size, p=0.53; hypermobile septum, p=0.44; shunt at rest, p=0.11). Extensive additional exploratory analyses did not reveal any consistent associations between different RoPE Score strata and presumptive high risk echocardiographic features. Conclusion: We found no evidence that proposed TEE markers for “high risk” PFOs correlate with the estimated likelihood that a PFO is related to an index CS. Additional imaging tools or better standardization of imaging techniques are needed to determine whether specific anatomic features are associated with whether a discovered PFO is likely to be related to CS.


Author(s):  
Yoichi Takaya ◽  
Rie Nakayama ◽  
Teiji Akagi ◽  
Fumi Yokohama ◽  
Takashi Miki ◽  
...  

Background: Because transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) has become effective for preventing cryptogenic stroke (CS), it is necessary to determine high-risk PFO associated with CS. This study aimed to clarify the importance of direct right-to-left (RL) shunt through the PFO for identifying high-risk PFO. Methods: We analyzed 137 patients with and without CS who were confirmed to have PFO. The timing of RL shunt through the PFO was evaluated by cardiac cycles after right atrium (RA) opacification on saline contrast transesophageal echocardiography. Direct RL shunt was defined as microbubbles crossing the PFO before and at the same time of RA opacification. Results: Cardiac cycles of microbubbles crossing the PFO were shorter in patients with CS than in those without CS (2.0 ± 2.2 vs. 0.5 ± 1.1, P < .01). Direct RL shunt was more frequently observed in patients with CS than in those without CS (77% vs. 29%, P < .01), with a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 71% for the association with CS. Multivariate analysis revealed that direct RL shunt was related to atrial septal aneurysm and low-angle PFO. Regarding functional features of PFO, the detection rate of CS was 50% for large RL shunt alone, and was increased to 83% when direct RL shunt was added. Conclusion: Direct RL shunt was associated with CS and had the incremental value in detecting PFO associated with CS for large RL shunt. The timing of RL shunt can be valuable for identifying high-risk PFO.


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