Evaluation of left atrial wall elasticity using acoustic microscopy

Left atrial wall elasticity is one of the important factors regulating left atrial stiffness and functions. The authors evaluated left atrial wall elasticity by measuring the sound speed through the left atrial wall, based on the hypothesis that high elasticity tissues will yield larger sound speed values through the tissue, and examined age-associated changes in left atrial wall elasticity. Left atrium specimens were obtained from 30 normal subjects (age, 15-95 years) at autopsy. An acoustic microscope, operating at 450 MHz, was used to measure the sound speed in the endocardium and the myocardium of the left atrium. The sound speeds in endocardium and myocardium demonstrated significant correlation with age (r = 0.74, p < 0.0001 and r = 0.47, p < 0.01, respectively), These findings indicate that left atrial wall elasticity increased with advancing age. These changes may lead to deterioration of left atrial compliance and eventual left atrial failure in older subjects.