Clinical significance of Tei index of Doppler tissue imaging in the evaluation of right ventricular function in patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease

Objective To investigate the clinical value of Tei index of Doppler tissue imaging(DTI)in the assessment of right ventricular function in patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease.Methods 50 patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease and 40 healthy subjects were involved in the study.Some routine ultrasonic parameters were measured and compared,including transverse diameter of right ventricle,thickness of anterior wall of right ventricle,inner diameter of main pulmonary artery and systolic pressure estimated according to tricuspid regurgitation.TDI velocity profiles of tricuspid annulus at right ventricular free were acquired at the apical four chamber view.The time interval from the end of diastolic Am wave to the early diastolic Em wave(a)and the duration of systolic phase Sm wave(b)were measured and Tei index was calculated from the equation Tei index=(a-b)/b.Results Tei indexes of patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease were increased significantly,as compared with those of the healthy subjects(P0.01).Conclusion Right ventricular Tei index is a quite sensitive indicator for right ventricular global function.Tei index of Dopple tissue imaging can evaluate right ventricular global systolic and diastolic function in patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease.