Contractile function in canine right ventricle

Regional right ventricular (RV) motion was examined in six acutely instrumented dogs by implanting radiopaque markers in three regions of the free wall: the apex, the midventricle, and the outflow tract. These markers were filmed at the paced heart rate of 180 beats/min with a high-speed biplane X-ray system, and their motion was analyzed with a digital computer. Local deformation was separated into percent length changes in the two mutually perpendicular principal directions. The major component exhibited shortening along a path from apex to conus. (apex - 13.6%, midventricle -13.1%, conus -8.7%); the minor component exhibited small amounts of lengthening and some shortening (apex +4.7%, midventricle +1.8%, conus -0.5%). From these two measurements we calculated the peak RV free wall thickening (apex 13.6%, midventricle 14.1%, conus 10.9%). The experimental technique developed for this study was found to be suitable for the repeated analysis of intact ventricular performance in chronic animal studies. The results reveal that in systole the RV free wall undergoes a sequential contraction, which begins at the apex and ends in the conus.