Normal left echoventriculography

This paper details a new diagnostic ultrasound technique. The heart is scanned from several precordial positions so that regional function of the entire left ventricle is seen, as well as measuring the left ventricular dimensions and performance conventionally. This is called echoventriculography. It permits a quantitative "global scan" of the left ventricular function. It is based on 2:1 magnification, and careful adjustment of probe positions and gain and reject levels, particularly in recording the anterior wall segments. Four basic echobeam directions are defined to detect local wall motion patterns from 8 regions of the left ventricle, ie. on the upper and lower halves of the posterior, anterior, septal and lateral walls. 42 healthy subjects, 19 sedentary men, 14 physically well-trained men and 9 women were studied. Complete echoventriculographic scanning was achieved in 91%. The posterior wall motion was greater than that of the anterior. The regional wall velocities, amplitudes and wall thicknesses cross-correlated with each other. The interventricular septal motion was paradoxical or akinetic in over half of the well-trained men. Otherwise, the general contraction mode assessed from the different regions together was always synergic. Left ventricular dimensions and pump function were also separately analyzed in the above subgroups of healthy subjects.