Relation between right ventricular mass and cavity size: an analysis of 1500 human hearts

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Pathology
• Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology

Background:

• The right ventricular free wall (RVFW) plays a crucial role in cardiac function.
• Understanding RVFW abnormalities, including hypertrophy, dilatation, and infarction, is vital in cardiovascular disease assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between right ventricular free wall (RVFW) mass, area, and myocardial abnormalities (scar or infarction).
• To determine the correlation between right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and right ventricular dilatation (RVD) and their combined entity, right ventricular enlargement (RVE).
• To analyze the occurrence and patterns of right ventricular infarction in relation to RVE and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Main Methods:

• Analysis of autopsy data from 1500 consecutive hearts.
• Categorization of hearts into groups with and without coronary artery disease (CAD).
• Measurement of RVFW mass (index of RVH) and RVFW area (index of RVD).

Main Results:

• RVH and RVD were strongly correlated, supporting their classification as right ventricular enlargement (RVE).
• Right ventricular infarction occurred in hearts both with and without RVE, but was rare without CAD.
• Right ventricular infarction patterns (apical or basal) typically mirrored adjacent left ventricular lesions.

Conclusions:

• Right ventricular enlargement (RVE) represents a combined phenomenon of hypertrophy and dilatation.
• Right ventricular infarction is frequently associated with RVE and CAD.
• The topographical distribution of right ventricular infarction correlates with patterns of left ventricular ischemic injury.