Measurement of right and left ventricular systolic time intervals by echocardiography

One of the noninvasive methods of evaluating left ventricular performance is the measurement of left ventricular systolic time intervals (LVSTI). However, noninvasive measurement of right ventricular systole by this technique has been unreliable because of the inability to accurately time the onset of right ventricular ejection. Excellent correlation of LVSTI measured from the carotid pulse and those determined from the echocardiogram was demonstrated in 15 patients. STI of the right ventricle (RVSTI) were measured in a similar fashion from the pulmonary valve echo in 11 normal children. Right ventricular ejection time (RVET) was longer than left ventricular injection time (LVET). Right ventricular pre-ejection period and RPEP was shorter than left ventricular pre-ejection period (LPEP). In 15 children with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) the situation was reversed. RVET was shortened and RPEP was prolonged as the right ventricle contracted against systemic resistance; whereas, the LVET lengthened and LPEP shortened with ejection into a low pressure pulmonary circuit. Our studies in a total of 41 patients indicate the accurate, noninvasive measurement of right, as well as left, ventricular STI can be obtained with the use of echocardiography.