Differentiation of the left- from right-side ventricular septum in acute anterior myocardial infarction by tissue Doppler imaging.
OBJECTIVE
This study was to evaluate the longitudinal and radial function of the left- and right-side ventricular septum (Ls and Rs) in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction (AMI) by tissue Doppler imaging.


METHODS
Thirty patients with anterior ST-elevation AMI and revascularization and 20 age-matched normal subjects were enrolled as controls. The longitudinal and radial systolic tissue velocity (TV), strain rate (SR) and strain (ɛ) of both Ls and Rs were assessed.


RESULTS
In normal, there were no significant differences of longitudinal TV, SR and ɛ between the Ls and Rs. The radial TV was same directed, but larger in Ls than Rs (P < 0.001). The radial SR and ɛ were positive values of Ls and negative values of Rs, but the degrees were similar in both sides. In AMI, longitudinal and radial TV were significantly decreased in both sides. However, longitudinal and radial SR and ɛ were significantly decreased in Ls only (P < 0.001 in all). Fourteen patients with AMI who showed no functional recovery had more reduced radial ɛ of Ls (3.9 ± 1.5% vs. 5.5 ± 2.1%, P = 0.02), but not longitudinal ɛ of Ls than the other 16 patients with recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed the ventricular septum can be functionally differentiated the Ls from the Rs, which can be well demonstrated by SR imaging. The impairment of radial rather than longitudinal function of the Ls was related to no functional recovery.
Park
Seong-Mi
SM
Division of Cardiology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hong
Soon-Jun
SJ
Lim
Do-Sun
DS
Shim
Wan-Joo
WJ
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*