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CompletedNCT00489957Updated Nov 27, 2013

Speckle Tracking in Pediatric Patients

An observational study in Cardiomyopathy, sponsored by Emory University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 1 Day to 17 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-11-27.

Sponsored by Emory University · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
70
Ages
1 Day to 17 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

An echocardiogram, also called a cardiac ultrasound or echo, is a medical test that takes pictures of the heart using sound waves. It shows images of the structures of the heart without using radiation. During the last year, the FDA has approved a new technology called Speckle Tracking that can look at the heart wall motion and contraction (pumping or squeezing) abnormalities. The study will also employ tissue Doppler and 3-Dimensional echo and uses the same echocardiographic machines which are used right now. The machines are upgraded with the new software application. This new technology is currently being used in adults, but unfortunately, there is almost no published data about normal heart function in infants and children using this technology. It is known from other technologies that the developing child's heart is not the same as an adult.

The investigators wish to study this new technology and compare it to other technologies currently being used.

Read the detailed description

This study will be done primarily by software analysis.

The investigators wish to enroll a total of 70 patients aged newborn to 17 years old. The patients will be divided into three groups: (1) 0-2 years (2) 2-10 years (3) 10-17 years of age. 59 of the patients will be normal volunteers - siblings of patients receiving routine echoes or siblings of patient caregivers at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The investigators will age-match those patients with twenty patients with known or suspected heart muscle dysfunction (not working properly) already scheduled for a routine echo. For the patients scheduled for a routine echo, the patient and parent/guardian will be approached prior to the routine echo being performed. If they consent/assent, it will take an additional 10-15 minutes to obtain the research images after their routine images have been obtained. The healthy volunteers will be screened from the siblings of the patients receiving a routine echo or from siblings of patient caregivers, the study explained and informed consent/assent obtained. It will take approximately 30 minutes to obtain the research images.

By studying this new technology, the investigators will be able to find out whether it will be able to give us useful information on how the heart muscle contracts, the coordination of these contractions and if it may indicate new areas for treatment.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cardiomyopathy

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Keywords

  • congenital cardiac disorders
  • echocardiography
03

In context

Cardiomyopathies

1,176 studies on the registry are indexed under Cardiomyopathies; 287 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 70 is below the median of 153 across 515 observational studies indexed under Cardiomyopathies.

Browse Cardiomyopathies studies →

Lead sponsor

Emory University is the lead sponsor of 1,386 studies on the registry; 236 are open to participants now.

Of its 229 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 174 (76%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Day to 17 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Newborn - 17 year old patients at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Egleston campus with known or suspected heart muscle dysfunction already scheduled for a routine echo. Also looking at normal controls.

Inclusion criteria

Healthy Volunteers

  • No known heart disease
  • Age of birth to 17 years.
  • Patients will be compared to age appropriate controls.
  • Stable clinical condition
  • Able and willing to sign informed assent (where appropriate) and consent

Study Group

  • Suspected or known heart muscle dysfunction or cardiomyopathy.
  • Age of birth to 17 years
  • Stable clinical condition
  • Able and willing to sign informed assent (where appropriate) and consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who do not have structurally normal left ventricles, have unstable or irregular heart rhythms.
  • Patients not in stable clinical condition
  • Unable or unwilling to sign informed consent and/or assent.
05

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
70 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Normals
  • Cardiomyopathy
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The investigators wish to study a new technology called Speckle Tracking and compare it to other technologies currently being used.

    An echocardiogram, also called a cardiac ultrasound or echo, is a medical test that takes pictures of the heart using sound waves. It shows images of the structures of the heart without using radiation. During the last year, the FDA has approved a new technology called Speckle Tracking that can look at the heart wall motion and contraction (pumping or squeezing) abnormalities. The study will also employ tissue Doppler and 3-Dimensional echo and uses the same echocardiographic machines which are used right now. The machines are upgraded with the new software application. This new technology is currently being used in adults, but unfortunately, there is almost no published data about normal heart function in infants and children using this technology. It is known from other technologies that the developing child's heart is not the same as an adult. The investigators wish to study this new technology and compare it to other technologies currently being used.

    Time frame: Retrospective Chart Review

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Emory University
    Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 27, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00489957
Lead sponsor
Emory University
Responsible party
William T. Mahle, MD (Full Professor, Emory University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 22, 2007
Start date
Mar 2007
Primary completion
May 2008
Completion
Dec 2009
Last update
Nov 27, 2013

Study contacts

Derek A Fyfe, MD
principal investigator · Emory University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2013. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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