Tracking regional left ventricular wall movement using 2-D echocardiographic cineloops in concert with synthetic M-mode images

In order to measure left ventricular regional wall motion and wall thickening, one must accurately track regional movement of the epicardial and endocardial borders. Here, the authors describe a computer-assisted technique for tracking regional wall movement using "dynamic M-mode" images that combine the spatial continuity of 2-D cineloops with the temporal continuity of M-mode images. Measurements made using this technique are more accurate than those made from 2-D stop-frame images and have significantly lower interobserver differences than measurements made on either 2-D images or conventional M-mode hardcopy charts.