The noninvasive diagnosis of right ventricular infarction

We evaluated scintigraphy and echocardiography for the diagnosis of right ventricular (RV) infarction. Of 26 patients with acute transmural myocardial infarction (MI), six with inferior MI had abnormal radionuclide uptake localized to the RV free wall on infarct scintigraphy or segmental akinesis of the RV free wall on gated radioangiography or both. These six patients with RV involvement (group I) were compared with the remaining nine with inferior MI (group II) and 11 with anterior MI (group III). RV/LV area ratios determined radioangiographically were significantly greater in group I than group II in diastole and systole. Echocardiographic RV enddiastolic dimension and RV/LV end-diastolic dimension ratio were significantly greater and RV stroke work index was significantly lower in group I than in group II. Predominant RV involvement in inferior MI may occur commonly. Anatomic and functional evidence of this diagnosis can be obtained noninvasively.