Regional right ventricular endocardial motion in normal hearts and in hearts with left ventricular aneurysm: a three dimensional study

We mapped the three dimensional (3D) regional right ventricular (RV) motion using Cine-CT in 9 normal subjects and compared it to data from 10 patients with left ventricular (LV) aneurysm. The endocardial borders were traced and the RV's reconstructed in 3D. Regional perpendicular RV systolic motion was evaluated by our 3D stroke-volume-element approach, and the circumferential and longitudinal variations determined. The normal RV is characterized by higher endocardial motion in the posterior relative to the anterior regions (p<0.0001), and no longitudinal (apex-to-base) gradient. In hearts with LV aneurysms, similar circumferential variations in wall motion are accompanied with a longitudinal increase in systolic motion, from apex to the base (p<0.0001). Therefore, a 3D method for measurement of RV regional motion was developed and applied to normal and LV aneurysm patients, showing that LV aneurysm causes RV motion abnormality at the apex, compensated by an increased basal motion.