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Updated: Aug 4, 2026

In Vivo Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Structure, Function, Perfusion and Viability Using Cardiac Micro-computed Tomography
Published on: February 16, 2016
[Correlation of functional indices of the left ventricle with structural changes in the myocardium]
Insights
Dilatative cardiomyopathy severely impacts hemodynamic parameters, showing the highest pulmonary artery pressure and lowest ejection fraction. These findings highlight significant cardiac dysfunction in dilatative cardiomyopathy patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Physiology
Background:
- Cardiomyopathies and valvular heart disease significantly affect cardiac function.
- Understanding hemodynamic alterations is crucial for managing heart conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare hemodynamic parameters in patients with dilatative cardiomyopathy, valvular disease, and ischemic heart disease.
- To assess the severity of cardiac dysfunction in different heart conditions.
Main Methods:
- Intracardial examination including right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy.
- Hemodynamic assessment including pulmonary artery pressure, ejection fraction, ventricular volumes, and contraction velocity.
- Left ventriculography was performed.
Main Results:
- Patients with dilatative cardiomyopathy exhibited the most severe hemodynamic disorders, including highest pulmonary artery pressure and lowest ejection fraction.
- Left ventricular volume was significantly increased in dilatative cardiomyopathy patients.
- Valvular disease and ischemic heart disease groups showed varying degrees of lowered hemodynamic parameters, with significant myocardial fibrosis in ischemic heart disease.
Conclusions:
- Dilatative cardiomyopathy leads to profound hemodynamic compromise and warrants further investigation, with some cases indicating potential need for cardiac transplantation.
- Hemodynamic dysfunction in valvular and ischemic heart disease correlates with structural myocardial changes.
Abstract:
11 with dilatative cardiomyopathy, 9 with valvular disease and 3 with ischemic heart disease--a full intracardial examination including right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy was performed. The most severe disorders of the hemodynamic parameters were found in the group of patients with dilatative cardiomyopathy. The pressure in the pulmonary artery was the highest of all groups of patients. The initial meane values of the systolic, diastolic and the average pressure were 5.73, 2.53 and 3.73 kPa and after left ventriculography was performed they were 6.80, 3.60 and 5.07 kPa respectively. The values of the ejection fraction were the lowest of all groups of patients. The left ventricular volume was greatly increased. The average telediastolic volume index was 235 ml/m2 and the average telesystolic volume index was 173 ml/m2. The velocity indices were greatly decreased--the average velocity of the circumferential fibers contraction was 0.45 circ/s and the ratio dp/dt was 1062 mm Hg/s. All patients were with normal coronary arteries. The very poor indices of 4 patients indicates for cardiac transplantation are of special interest. In the patients with valvular disease various degree of lowered hemodynamic parameters were found corresponding to the structural changes of the myocardium. In the third group of 3 patients with ischemic heart disease and severe disorders in the left ventricular function massive fibrous changes in the myocardium were found.
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