Bulten Ben F, Mavinkurve-Groothuis Annelies M C, de Geus-Oei Lioe-Fee, de Haan Anton F J, de Korte Chris L, Bellersen Louise, van Laarhoven Hanneke W M, Kapusta Livia
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein 10, PO Box 9101 (internal postal code 757), 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2014 Jul;146(1):127-35. doi: 10.1007/s10549-014-2997-4. Epub 2014 May 23.
To evaluate the role of 2D myocardial strain (rate) imaging in the detection of early subclinical cardiotoxicity in breast cancer survivors treated with an anthracycline-based chemotherapeutic regimen. 57 adult breast cancer survivors were analyzed 1 year after therapy. All patients underwent biomarker analysis and 2D echocardiography consisting of conventional echocardiographic and strain (rate) parameters. Conventional echocardiographic values were normal. Global longitudinal strain was normal, but 18 % of patients showed a >2 SD decrease when individually compared to reference values. This subgroup showed a decrease in end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes and an increase in left ventricular mass. Radial and circumferential strain rates were significantly decreased in the whole study group. 2D myocardial strain (rate) imaging showed abnormalities in breast cancer survivors, while conventional echocardiographic values remained normal, rendering 2D myocardial strain (rate) imaging an interesting tool for the early detection of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.
