Strain Analysis from Transverse CMR Cine Imaging in Congenital Heart Disease: Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Comparison to Global Longitudinal Strain †
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Population and Design
2.2. CMR Acquisition and Functional Analysis
2.3. Strain Analysis/CMR Feature-Tracking
- GLS, expressed as a negative value, represents base-apex shortening and is derived by averaging the peak strain values of individual segments using the 17-segment model [17]. GLS analysis of the systemic or left ventricle was performed using LAX (2-, 3-, and 4-chamber) cine images, and GLS of the hypoplastic or right ventricle from a single LAX (4-chamber) image. Analysis was conducted automatically and manually by tracing the endocardial and epicardial borders in ES and ED across all required planes.
- TrS was performed using transverse-oriented cine images. For standardizing purposes, we chose to include only images with clearly detectable atria, ventricles, and atrioventricular plane in both ES and ED. The atrioventricular plane served as the anatomical base for contouring. Slices in which the atrioventricular plane was not clearly identifiable in either phase were excluded.
2.4. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Intra- and Interobserver Reproducibility
3.2. Intermethod Comparison Between TrS and GLS
4. Discussion
4.1. Reproducibility
4.2. Intermethod Agreement and Systematic Bias
4.3. Clinical Relevance
4.4. Limitations
4.5. Validation and Future Directions
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| BSA | Body Surface Area |
| CHD | Congenital Heart Disease |
| CMR | Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance |
| ESV | End-Systolic Volume |
| EF | Ejection Fraction |
| EDV | End-Diastolic Volume |
| GLS | Global Longitudinal Strain |
| HV | Hypoplastic Ventricle |
| LAX | Long-Axis |
| LV | Left Ventricle |
| RV | Right Ventricle |
| SAX | Short-Axis |
| SD | Standard Deviation |
| SV | Systemic Ventricle |
| ToF | Tetralogy of Fallot |
| TrS | Transverse strain |
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| Patient Characteristics | Fontan n = 20 | ToF n = 20 | Controls n = 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||
| Sex, female n (%) | 12 (60) | 11 (55) | 6 (60) |
| Age at MRI (years), mean ± SD | 16 ± 6.5 | 26 ± 13.4 | 15 ± 5.1 |
| Height (cm), mean ± SD | 150.1 ± 18.6 | 159.6 ± 21.0 | 156.2 ± 17.4 |
| Weight (kg), mean ± SD | 47.1 ± 19.3 | 63.1 ± 25.8 | 51.8 ± 20.8 |
| BSA, mean ± SD | 1.4 ± 0.3 | 1.7 ± 0.4 | 1.5 ± 0.4 |
| Heart rate (bpm), mean ± SD | 74.3 ± 23.2 | 79.1 ± 9.1 | 79.6 ± 13.1 |
| Functional parameters | |||
| EDVi (mL/m2), mean ± SD | 82.2 ± 26.9 | 78.6 ± 14.9 | 81.2 ± 6.6 |
| ESVi (mL/m2), mean ± SD | 42.5 ± 24.4 | 33.3 ± 7.2 | 34.1 ± 5.9 |
| SVi (mL/m2), mean ± SD | 39.4 ± 13.0 | 45.3 ± 8.7 | 47.1 ± 4.5 |
| EF (%) | 49.8 | 57.8 | 58.2 |
| CI (L/min/m2), mean ± SD | 3.0 ± 1.0 | 3.4 ± 0.6 | 3.7 ± 0.4 |
| Group | 1st Meas. TrS | 2nd Meas. TrS | Mean Difference | Limits of Agreement | ICC (95% CI) | r | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fontan | |||||||
| SV | −27.5 ± 4.9 | −27.9 ± 5.2 | 0.39 | −4.70–5.49 | 0.87 (0.55–0.97) | 0.87 | 0.001 |
| HV | −22.5 ± 10.8 | −21.9 ± 7.6 | −0.53 | −11.47–10.41 | 0.82 (0.34–0.96) | 0.88 | 0.004 |
| ToF | |||||||
| LV | −28.5 ± 5.8 | −27.6 ± 4.8 | −0.86 | −4.16–2.43 | 0.95 (0.81–0.99) | 0.97 | <0.001 |
| RV | −22.3 ± 4.1 | −21.9 ± 4.3 | −0.42 | −5.44–4.60 | 0.81 (0.41–0.95) | 0.81 | 0.004 |
| Controls | |||||||
| LV | −32.5 ± 1.7 | −33.3 ± 2.3 | 0.73 | −2.46–3.93 | 0.68 (−0.30–0.96) | 0.70 | 0.19 |
| RV | −30.3 ± 4.5 | −29.3 ± 4.1 | −1.02 | −3.34–1.30 | 0.96 (0.69–1.00) | 0.97 | 0.007 |
| Group | 1st Obs. TrS | 2nd Obs. TrS | Mean Difference | Limits of Agreement | ICC (95% CI) | r | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fontan | |||||||
| SV | −27.9 ± 5.2 | −27.1 ± 4.5 | −0.78 | −5.66–4.10 | 0.87 (0.56–0.97) | 0.88 | <0.001 |
| HV | −21.9 ± 7.6 | −21.1 ± 7.7 | −0.87 | −5.25–3.51 | 0.96 (0.80–0.99) | 0.96 | <0.001 |
| ToF | |||||||
| LV | −27.6 ± 4.8 | −26.4 ± 5.9 | −1.22 | −5.72–3.28 | 0.91 (0.68–0.98) | 0.93 | <0.001 |
| RV | −21.9 ± 4.3 | −19.8 ± 3.7 | −2.15 | −7.26–2.97 | 0.80 (0.39–0.95) | 0.80 | 0.005 |
| Controls | |||||||
| LV | −33.3 ± 2.3 | −33.9 ± 3.0 | 0.63 | −2.17–3.42 | 0.86 (0.15–0.98) | 0.89 | 0.04 |
| RV | −29.3 ± 4.1 | −26.2 ± 3.4 | −3.03 | −9.92–3.86 | 0.57 (−0.45–0.94) | 0.58 | 0.31 |
| Group | GLS (Mean ± SD) | TrS (Mean ± SD) | Mean Difference | Limits of Agreement | ICC (95% CI) | r | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fontan | |||||||
| SV | −26.3 ± 5.4 | −28.2 ± 6.7 | 1.89 | −6.47–10.25 | 0.75 (0.48–0.89) | 0.77 | <0.001 |
| HV | −20.2 ± 11.6 | −20.4 ± 9.5 | 0.18 | −16.48–16.84 | 0.68 (0.26–0.89) | 0.69 | 0.006 |
| ToF | |||||||
| LV | −24.6 ± 3.7 | −29.6 ± 5.4 | 5.03 | −6.75–16.8 | 0.16 (−0.30–0.55) | 0.17 | 0.48 |
| RV | −25.2 ± 4.2 | −23.7 ± 3.7 | −1.54 | −6.69–3.62 | 0.78 (0.53–0.91) | 0.79 | <0.001 |
| Controls | |||||||
| LV | −26.5 ± 3.9 | −31.8 ± 1.7 | 5.36 | −3.76–14.47 | −0.20 (−0.72–0.46) | −0.27 | 0.45 |
| RV | −27.6 ± 5.1 | −31.6 ± 3.5 | 4.01 | −4.79–12.81 | −0.48 (−0.18–0.84) | −0.51 | 0.14 |
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Zieschang, V.; Kramer, P.; Götze, C.; Kelle, S.; Stegherr, R.; Khasheei, A.; Berger, F.; Nordmeyer, J.; Kühne, T.; Nordmeyer, S.; et al. Strain Analysis from Transverse CMR Cine Imaging in Congenital Heart Disease: Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Comparison to Global Longitudinal Strain. Healthcare 2026, 14, 411. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030411
Zieschang V, Kramer P, Götze C, Kelle S, Stegherr R, Khasheei A, Berger F, Nordmeyer J, Kühne T, Nordmeyer S, et al. Strain Analysis from Transverse CMR Cine Imaging in Congenital Heart Disease: Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Comparison to Global Longitudinal Strain. Healthcare. 2026; 14(3):411. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030411
Chicago/Turabian StyleZieschang, Victoria, Peter Kramer, Collin Götze, Sebastian Kelle, Regina Stegherr, Alireza Khasheei, Felix Berger, Johannes Nordmeyer, Titus Kühne, Sarah Nordmeyer, and et al. 2026. "Strain Analysis from Transverse CMR Cine Imaging in Congenital Heart Disease: Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Comparison to Global Longitudinal Strain" Healthcare 14, no. 3: 411. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030411
APA StyleZieschang, V., Kramer, P., Götze, C., Kelle, S., Stegherr, R., Khasheei, A., Berger, F., Nordmeyer, J., Kühne, T., Nordmeyer, S., & Schafstedde, M. (2026). Strain Analysis from Transverse CMR Cine Imaging in Congenital Heart Disease: Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Comparison to Global Longitudinal Strain. Healthcare, 14(3), 411. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030411

