To assess the changes of left ventricular systolic function in divers after scuba diving by three-dimensional tracking imaging.

The heart rate (HR), blood pressure [systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP)], and oxygen saturation (SaO₂) were measured in 60 healthy divers before, immediately after, and 1 d and 3 d after scuba constant temperature diving to a depth of 11 metres for 60 min, respectively, and conventional echocardiography was performed at the same time. Three-dimensional tracking imaging was applied to obtain the left ventricular diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular systolic volume (LVESV), cardiac output (CO), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular three-dimensional strain parameters including the global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), global circumferential strain (LVGCS), global area strain (LVGAS), and global radial strain (LVGRS) before, immediately after, and 1 d and 3 d after scuba diving. The differences of routine and left ventricular three-dimensional strain parameters were compared before and after scuba diving.

Compared with the parameters before scuba diving, there was no significant change in the LVEF; the SBP, SaO₂, LVEDV, LVESV, LVGCS, and LVGRS decreased slightly (with no significant changes); and DBP significantly increased, and the HR, CO, LVGLS, and LVGAS significantly decreased immediately after scuba diving (t=-3.13, P=0.007; t=9.609, P<0.001; t=2.597, P=0.020; t=-3.877, P=0.008; t=-15.715, P<0.001). At 1 d after scuba diving, DBP was restored to the pre-diving level, but the HR, CO, LVGLS, and LVGAS were still significantly lower (t=2.772, P=0.021; t=4.116, P=0.001; t=-2.736, P=0.018; t=-10.382, P<0.001). At 3 d after scuba diving, all the above parameters were recovered to the pre-dive levels.

After scuba constant temperature diving to a depth of 11 metres for 60 min, some of the cardiovascular indicators of divers change slightly in a short term. Three-dimensional tracking imaging can find the slight changes in left ventricular systolic function and quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular systolic function after scuba diving, having important clinical value in guiding divers for scientific diving training.