ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate left ventricular wall motion changes after successful pereutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) by velocity vector imaging (VVI). Methods Twenty patients with acute MI, 16 anterior MI and 4 inferior MI,were studied by VVI within 3 days before PCI, 1 week and 3 months after PCI. The VVI parameters included peak systolic myocardial velocity (Vsys), peak systolic strain (εsys), maximal strain (εmax), peak systolic strain rate ( SRsys), isovolumic relaxation strain rate(SRivr),segmental ejection fraction (sEF), time to peak of velocity (TPKvel),and time to peak of strain (TPKε). Results Compared with that before PCI,εsys, SRsys, sEF, PSI, SRivr/SRsys, and TPKε were improved one week after PCI,and were further significantly improved at 3 months follow-up. Conclusions The VVI parameters can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of PCI shortly after the procedure and during long-term follow-up.