Spatial and temporal variations in regional left ventricular function in isolated disease of the left anterior...

The temporal and spatial pattern of left ventricular (LV) contraction and relaxation in 34 patients with isolated lesions of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) were studied from the LV cineangiogram in the right anterior oblique position using a computer interactive technique. The LV outline was divided into 100 equiangular radii from the center of the enddiastolic silhouette and the trajectory of contraction and relaxation of each radius measured and displayed. Patients were divided into different subsets. Classical anterior wall infarction caused impaired contraction of the distal two thirds of the anterior wall, the apex and the distal quarter of the inferior wall, with marked delay in contraction and relaxation of the border zones and hyperkinesis of the inferior wall. Spatial and temporal disturbances (akinesis and asynchrony) were marked in the other subsets. Left bundle branch block caused profound temporal delay particularly during relaxation.