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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography
Published on: October 28, 2020
Right ventricle chamber of young trained athletes: morphology and function
Alessio De Luca1, Laura Stefani1, Giorgio Galanti1
1Sports Medicine Centre, University of Florence, Italy.
Insights
Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography provides more accurate morphological assessment of the right ventricle (RV) in young athletes than traditional 2D methods. This advanced imaging can aid in diagnosing early cardiac remodeling in athletes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- The right ventricle (RV) is crucial in cardiac function but often under-investigated in young athletes.
- Advancements in 3D echocardiography offer new possibilities for assessing RV morphology and function.
- Early detection of myocardial remodeling in athletes' hearts is essential for preventing adverse outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of 3D echocardiography versus 2D echocardiography in evaluating RV morphology and function in young, asymptomatic trained athletes.
- To determine if the 3D method provides additional diagnostic information regarding early myocardial remodeling in the RV of athletes.
- To assess potential differences in RV dimensions and ejection fraction between athletes and sedentary individuals using both imaging modalities.
Main Methods:
- The study involved 25 young trained athletes and 20 sedentary controls.
- Right ventricular (RV) chamber function was assessed using both 2D-AC and 3D-RV echocardiographic methods.
- Key measurements included RV diastolic volume (RVDV), RV systolic volume (RVSV), and ejection fraction (EF).
Main Results:
- While 3D RV volumes were slightly higher in athletes, ejection fraction (EF) values were not significantly different compared to 2D measurements or sedentary controls.
- Significant differences were observed in 3D systolic and diastolic RV volumes compared to 2D-AC volumes within both groups.
- Athletes exhibited higher RVDV and RVSV values when assessed with 3D imaging compared to 2D, indicating potential early remodeling.
Conclusions:
- The 3D echocardiography method appears more accurate than 2D for assessing initial morphological modifications in the young athlete's heart's RV.
- Despite similar EF values, 3D imaging reveals subtle RV changes not evident with 2D methods.
- These findings have clinical implications for diagnosing RV diseases in young athletes, especially when 2D imaging is inconclusive.
Purpose:
The study of the right ventricular (RV) chamber has been recently improved by use of the 3D method. In young asymptomatic trained athletes, RV is not routinely investigated if not in suspected disease. This study is designed to test if the 3D method compared to 2D, adds information to study of RV morphology and function, in the early stages of myocardial remodeling of a group of young athletes.
Methods:
The RV chamber function was assessed in 25 young trained athletes (20 soccer and 5 basketball) aged 20±3 yrs and compared to 20 sedentary controls by 2D-AC and 3D-RV methods (TomTec), measuring RV diastolic (RVDV) and systolic (RVSV) volumes or ejection fraction (EF).
Results:
3D RV volumes were slightly higher in athletes than the 2D volumes in presence of lower EF values, but not significantly higher than in sedentary. Significant differences were conversely found comparing 3D systolic and diastolic RV volumes and 2D-AC volumes within each group with higher values in athletes (RVDV: P=0.001 for athletes and P<0.001 for sedentary, and RVSV: P<0.04 for athletes and P<0.001 for sedentary).
Conclusion:
Although the found EF values were substantially similar, the morphological assessment of the initial modifications of this chamber of the young "athlete's heart", results seem to be more accurate using the 3D method than 2D. The clinical implication of this aspect could be of interest in case of difficulty in drawing a clear diagnosis of any RV chamber disease in young athletes.
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