Real-Time, Phased-Array, Cross-Sectional Echocardiographic Evaluation of Left Ventricular Asynergy and Quantitation of Left Ventricular Function

The left ventricular (LV) wall motion was assessed in 66 patients with ischemic heart disease and other diseases by means of real-time, phased-array, cross-sectional echocardiography (ECHO). The LV wall was divided into 7 anatomic segments, according to the AHA Committee Report, and the motion of each segment (a total of 462 segments) was compared with that in the cineangiographic observation (ANGIO). Two tomographic planes, corresponding to the LAO and RAO views of ANGIO, were employed in ECHO. The LV chamber volume and ejection fraction (EF) were calculated from the RAO plane by an arealength method.The following results were obtained; (1) The motions of 414 segments (89.6%) were visualized by ECHO. The apical area showed the poorest visualization. (2) Three hundred and ninety segments (94.2%) showed a concordant finding between ECHO and ANGIO. Twentyfour slight discrepancies were noted. (3) Calculated LV volume and EF were well correlated with the results from ANGIO (r=0.84 and 0.88, respectively), even in the presence of LV asynergy.It was concluded that ECHO was an useful method for detecting the LV asynergy and the determination of the LV functional parameters. Discrepancies between ECHO and ANGIO in the assessment of the LV asynergy might well be attributed to some factors including the difference between the methods, that is, non-invasive and invasive.