A Novel Automated & Comprehensive Approach for Ventricular Function Assessment in Heart Failure

Heart failure imposes major global health care burden on society and suffering for the individual.In the US, HF affects 5.7 million patients, and is the leading cause of hospitalization for people over 65 years, with 25% to 50% rate or hospital readmission within 6 months.In Singapore, between 1991 and 1998, it accounted for 4.5% of all hospital admissions and 2.5% of mortality in the geriatric age group.It confers an annual mortality of 10%.

The early diagnosis and identification of the underlying etiology of HF is of paramount importance; some causes require specific treatment and may be correctable. From updated American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines, some questions must be addressed for suspected HF patients: Is the left ventricular ejection fraction preserved or reduced? Is the structure of the LV normal or abnormal? Are there other structural abnormalities such as right ventricular (RV) abnormalities that could account for the clinical presentation? Is there LV global and regional dysfunction and to what extent? Is the etiology ischemic or non-ischemic?

Cardiac imaging is important both for HF diagnosis and monitoring of progress. Impaired pump function, expressed reduced left ventricular ejection fraction is often used as a marker of HF. About 50% of HF have preserved EF.In this situation, more intricate and comprehensive imaging involving measurement of multiple diastolic and systolic parameters, usually using echocardiography, may become necessary to address the questions mentioned above.

Our solution is expected to result in a significant cost saving for HF patients. HF diagnosis is still very challenging, consisting of assessment of medical and family histories, a physical exam and diagnostic imaging tests. The investigators compare the cost difference in traditional way against our proposed solution. The traditional diagnostic tests include chest x-ray, BNP blood test, echocardiography, nuclear heart scan and cardiac catheterization. In this project, the investigators estimate the cost of echocardiography, nuclear heart scan and cardiac catheterization for HF diagnosis. Based on clinical experience, among 1000 patients undergoing echocardiography, 50% will be referred to nuclear heart scan and 30% will be referred to invasive cardiac catheterization. The cost of the whole workup is estimated to be $1.95 million. If 1000 patients undergo our proposed CBI solution directly, the cost estimated at $1.4 million. The cost saving is estimated at S$400 per patient.

Hence, the investigators will be exploring the following for this study:

Primary aim: Assess LV systolic and diastolic function from curvedness-based imaging in 120 HF patients with reduced ejection fraction and normal ejection fraction.

Secondary aim: Evaluate the utility of curvedness-based imaging for the diagnosis of etiology of HF, against gold standard gadolinium enhanced CMR in subgroup of HF patients.

Exploratory aim: Evaluate the utility of curvedness-based imaging for the prediction of prognosis during 6 month follow up, where clinical outcome include death, CV death and HF re-admission.