Congenital heart diseaseResearch article
Natural Shear Wave Elastography
- Fontan patients compared with age-matched healthy volunteers
Authors' conclusion
Our findings suggest that Fontan hearts may be stiffer than normal and that SW velocities are higher in patients with a Fontan circulatory failure. Moreover, SW speed was related to SVP.
Study context
- Population
- Fontan patientsFontan patients, SVP available in n = 30
- Participants
- 47 patients
- Comparison
- Shear wave (SW) speed in Fontan patients vs age-matched healthy volunteers
- Fontan patientsn = 47
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Average SW speed after AVVC
P < 0.001
Further findings
Average SW speed after outflow valve closure · higher in Fontan patients
P < 0.001
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| SW speed, Fontan circulatory failure vs well-functioning Fontan patients · increased with Fontan circulatory failure | P = 0.008 |
- SW speed, Fontan circulatory failure vs well-functioning Fontan patients: Fontan circulatory failure 6.3 ± 1.4 m/s
- SW speed, Fontan circulatory failure vs well-functioning Fontan patients: well-functioning Fontan patients 4.9 ± 1.5 m/s
Correlation of SW velocities after atrioventricular valve closure (AVVC) with SVP
- r
- 0.55
- P
- P = 0.002
- no other conventional diastolic parameter correlated to SVP
Original publication
Natural Shear Wave Elastography. JACC Adv. Published 20 February 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102608
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it