The September issue of JASE includes the article, “Left Atrial Function is Associated with Earlier Need for Cardiac Surgery in Moderate to Severe Mitral Regurgitation: Usefulness in Targeting for Early Surgery,” by Liam Ring, MBBS, Yasir Abu-Omar, MBChB, DPhil, Nikki Kaye, BSc, Bushra S. Rana, MBBS, William Watson, MBBChir, BSc, David P. Dutka, MD, and Vassilios S. Vassiliou, MBBS, PhD, FACC. Lead author Dr. Ring said that, “One of the real challenges in managing patients with moderate to severe MR is selecting those individuals who will benefit from early surgical intervention. The assessment of left atrial function helps identify those patients who are more likely to develop clinical or conventional echocardiographic indications for mitral valve surgery during follow-up, potentially allowing clinicians to target early surgery more effectively. We believe that the evaluation of LA function should be routine when assessing patients with moderate to severe MR.” Also in this issue are is “Determinants of Physician, Sonographer, and Laboratory Productivity: Analysis of the Third Survey from the American Society of Echocardiography Committee on Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory Productivity.” The remaining articles cover two-dimensional cross-sectional anatomy, valvular regurgitation assessing severity, prognosis, and treatment, three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography, cardiac hemodynamic assessments, and three-dimensional echocardiography in children.
The blues pages include Dr. Jonathan Lindner’s President’s Message, “Imaging in Clinical Research” Synergy Not Surrogacy,” a Sonographer’s Communication by Elaine Shea and Keith Collins encouraging all sonographers to get more involved in ASE, a Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease column by council chair Dr. Greg Ensing about the most recent Scientific Sessions, and a photo spread of the Nashville Scientific Sessions events and awards.