Right ventricular myocardial deformation in young healthy subjects: a comparison study between 2D Strain and traditional parameters

Background. Recently it was shown that the study of the right ventricle (RV) has become more feasible in clinical practice through the introduction of 2D Strain. The aim of our study is the analysis of deformation curve during the cardiac cycle and its relationship with traditional parameters of RV function as tricuspid anular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and ejection fraction. Methods: Thirty healthy young subjects underwent a standard echocardiographic examination with assessment of the following RV additional parameters: TAPSE, the pre-ejection time (PET), the ejection time (ET), the longitudinal strain (LS) of the RV lateral wall and the right side of the ventricular septum. Results: The values of LS had show a significant gradient of regional deformation, from base to apex, of the RV lateral wall (base: 44±10, apex: 22±6, p<0.0001); a recoil diastolic earlier at the level of the basal segments than apical (base of RV lateral wall: 78±13 msec, apex of RV lateral wall 83±13 msec; base of ventricular septum: 69±21 msec, apex of ventricular septum 74±23 msec) and an high correlation between RV 2D global LS with TAPSE (r= 0.53) and RV EF (r=0.63). Conclusions: our study supports the view that analysis of the LS is a reliable, accurate, and reproducible method of evaluating RV function.