Echocardiographic evaluation methods for right ventricular function

The right ventricle (RV) was neglected for a long time and has only recently gained attention. RV systolic function important role is now recognized. It is considered a predictor of outcome in many conditions like ischemic heart disease, left heart failure, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease and pulmonary embolism. Evaluation of RV systolic function is recommended as part of the standard echocardiography examination; however, this evaluation is still challenging because of the RV complex geometry. Various echocardiographic methods have been developed to evaluate RV systolic function; some of them are recommended for use in clinical practice while others are still considered research tools or have not yet been recommended. In this review article, we discuss current RV systolic function evaluation methods and report their advantages, limitations, abnormality thresholds and recommendations according to the most recently published guidelines.