Small, lower cost, handheld ultrasound systems can be most useful in detecting cardiovascular problems in a variety of clinical situations. The aim of the present investigation was to assess the diagnostic value of handheld echocardiography in population study.
Methods and results: At the first step we compared standard and limited echocardiographic protocols in 222 consecutive outpatients (age 44±10.7 years) who underwent routine echocardiography. Sensitivity of limited echocardiography in diagnosis of left atrial dilatation was 94.8%, aortic dilatation - 91.7%, left ventricular dilatation - 85.7%, left ventricular hypertrophy - 91.8%, right ventricular dilatation - 87.5%, atherosclerosis of aortic root - 96.2%. Specificity was 98.4%, 98.2%, 99%, 96.6%, 99.4%, 97.2%, respectively (in all cases agreement was more than 96%, kappa – more than 0.92, p<0.001). A mean duration of examination by the limited protocol was 4 times less than duration of standard echocardiography. At the second step we examined by handheld limited echocardiography 2350 inhabitants (age 38.8±3.2 years) from one of the arctic industrial settlements in the Western Siberia (the Circumpolar region). There was detected dilatation of aorta in 4.2% of cases, atherosclerosis of aorta in 9.1%, dilatation of left atrium in 10.6%, dilatation of left ventricle in 0.5%, hypertrophy of left ventricle in 13.5%, dilatation of right ventricle in 0.2%, degenerative valvular disease in 0.8%, mitral valve prolapse in 4.2%, atherosclerosis of coronary arteries in 2% and local myocardial dysfunction in 2.2% of cases.
Conclusion: Handheld limited echocardiography is a useful tool in the assessment of cardiac abnormalities in population screening.