Blood speckle imaging for the assessment of aortic valve velocity in healthy children: Reproducibility and comparison with Doppler echocardiography
Freixa-Benavente, Andrea (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)
Garrido-Oliver, Juan (Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR))
Roses Noguer, Ferran (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Pediatria, Obstetrícia i Ginecologia i de Medicina Preventiva i Salut Pública)
Dux-Santoy, Lydia (Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR))
Guala, Andrea (Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR))
Rodríguez Palomares, José Fernando (Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR))
Sabaté-Rotés, Anna (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)

Date:	2026
Abstract:	Introduction: Blood speckle imaging (BSI) in paediatrics is a promising novel echocardiography technique that allows complex blood flow assessment via qualitative visualization and analysis of vorticity, energy loss and kinetic energy. However, velocity quantification using BSI has scarcely been studied in vivo. Methodology: Maximum aortic valve velocities by conventional Doppler echocardiography were compared with those derived from BSI in healthy children. BSI-derived velocities were extracted via a custom Python code. Agreement between methods was assessed using Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman analysis. Inter-observer reproducibility of BSI analysis was evaluated in a randomly selected subset. Results: Seventy-seven Doppler acquisitions from 33 patients were analysed. The median age was 84 months, and maximum velocity was 1. 19 m/s. Modest correlation (R = 0. 53, p-value<0. 001) was found between BSI and Doppler velocities. Age-stratified analysis showed good correlation in younger children (<6. 5 years; R = 0. 59, p-value<0. 001), whereas no significant correlation was found in older subjects. A non-significant trend towards BSI underestimating velocities, more marked in older children, was noted. Discrepancies between methods increased at higher velocities. Inter-observer reproducibility of BSI velocities was good (R = 0. 7, p-value = 0. 006). Discussion and conclusion: Aortic valve velocities by BSI technique show moderate correlation with Doppler in healthy children, with better performance in younger subjects, and good inter-observer reproducibility. Overall, the findings support BSI echocardiography for aortic valve maximum velocity assessment in healthy children, but further research is warranted to determine its utility in patients with aortic valve disease.
Grants:	Instituto de Salud Carlos III CP24/00121 Generalitat de Catalunya 2023/SGR-00322
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Aorta ; Blood speckle imaging ; Echocardiography ; Pediatric cardiology ; Velocit
Published in:	International Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 450 (February 2026) , art. 134223, ISSN 1874-1754

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2026.134223

12 p, 1.3 MB

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