Exploring Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging to Measure Heart Muscle Stiffness and Blood Flow in Children With Congenital Heart Disease

What this Trial Is About

About 13 in 1000 children are born with congenital heart disease CHD, and many survive into childhood due to improved treatments. However, current tools to assess how well the heart fills with blood in children are limited, especially for measuring heart stiffness caused by scar tissue. This study explores the use of ultrafast ultrasound imaging UFUS to better understand heart muscle stiffness and blood flow in children with CHD and other heart conditions. The study uses a Verasonics ultrasound system to capture high-speed images of the heart in two groups children with CHD and children from the general population who are either healthy or have minor heart defects like small atrial septal defects or patent foramen ovale. This observational study aims to assess heart muscle stiffness and perfusion using UFUS as a new diagnostic approach. Participants will undergo ultrasound imaging to measure myocardial stiffness and perfusion at the start of the study. Researchers will also collect echocardiographic data and medical history information. The study involves no treatment but focuses on gathering detailed heart function data to improve understanding of heart filling in children. The study runs from March 2025 to March 2028 and is sponsored by University Hospital, Bordeaux.

Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging in Pediatric Cardiology