Normal Nonuniformity of Left Ventricular Contraction

PURPOSE: To identify the normal performance of left ventricular (LV) regional contraction using cine MR imaging with presaturation myocardial tagging. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixteen normal volunteers were examined on a 1.5 T MR system with tagging cine sequences. Tags were applied at end-diastole as 2 parallel black lines on short-axis and 4-chamber sections, and the fractional shortenings were calculated at 7 LV locations. RESULTS: The following results were obtained with significance: a transmural gradient of contractility in the short-axis section; prolonged late-systolic endocardial shortening and epicardial early termination in the free wall; initial delay of shortening in the anterior wall; apical predominance of contractility; predominance of circumferential shortening in the free wall and of meridional shortening in the septum. These findings could be associated with myocardial fiber architecture, presumed wall stress and temporal asynergy of excitation. CONCLUSION: Cine MR imaging with myocardial tagging proved to be useful in assessing the nonuniformity of LV contraction.