Identification of stimulation site of pacemaker lead using tissue tracking method

Purpose We aimed to identify the electrical stimulation sites of pacemaker leads using a tissue tracking method of tissue Doppler imaging.Methods The study group consisted of 30 patients who had undergone permanent pacemaker implantation. During tissue Doppler imaging, the initial contraction site was seen as a red area stimulated by the pacemaker lead. This red area was analyzed precisely using time-distance curves generated by tissue tracking.Results The initial contraction site of the myocardium was located in the interventricular septum in seven patients and in the apical portion of the right ventricle in 11 patients. Furthermore, analysis of time-distance curves demonstrated that one point within the red area started to move earlier than the others.Conclusion The site of electrical stimulation within the myocardium can be determined from the time-distance curves generated by the tissue tracking method.