What is a "normal" right ventricle?

AIMS: The aim of this project was to define normal values of right ventricular (RV) volumes and ejection fraction (EF) in healthy population using 2D echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: The "patient" group comprised 91 healthy volunteers aged 17-62 years. RV volumetry was based on ellipsoidal shell model method. Left ventricular (LV) volumes were assessed by Teichholz formula. All volumes were indexed per m(2) of BSA and the rate distribution of measured and calculated values were evaluated. The normal range of individual parameters was expressed as mean value+/-2 standard deviations (delta). A pair test was used to compare corresponding results of the RV and LV measurements. The regression analysis was used to test the relationship between LV and RV volumes and age. Indexed enddiastolic and endsystolic RV volumes were 79.1+/-29.9ml and 32.6+/-19.7ml, respectively, EF being 50+/-9.7% in men and 58+/-13.6% in women. No correlation with patient's age was observed. CONCLUSION: Enddiastolic and endsystolic volumes of RV were significantly higher than those of LV. EF of RV was lower as compare to LV. Right ventricular EF in men was lower than that in women. There was no correlation between EF and patient's age.

Comparison of acoustic densitometry and dobutamine echocardiography for an assessment of myocardial viability.

AIM: The aim of this study has been to compare acoustic densitometry and dobutamine echocardiography for an assessment of myocardial viability. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with coronary artery disease and dysfunctional myocardial segments, who were referred for myocardial revascularization, underwent a viability assessment using low-dose dobutamine echocardiography and acoustic densitometry. Results of the two techniques were compared to follow-up resting echocardiography. This follow-up examination was performed at a mean of 3 months after successful revascularization in order to assess the recovery of function in revascularized, initially dysfunctional segments. Echocardiography was performed in standard views using 16-segment model of the left ventricle. Viable myocardium was identified by the augmentation of systolic thickening of an abnormal segment by at least one grade during dobutamine infusion and by the value of the maximal amplitude of cyclic variation of integrated backscatter. Acoustic densitometry had the sensitivity and specificity to predict functional recovery 90% and 77%, respectively. Dobutamine echocardiography had the sensitivity and specificity to predict contractile reserve 83% and 81%, respectively. The results were statistically comparable. Concordance between these methods was 80%. CONCLUSION: Acoustic densitometry and dobutamine echocardiography did not statistically differ in the prediction of functional recovery dysfunctional myocardial segments after revascularization.

Modality of brain death and serum troponin T levels in donors and their heart transplant recipients.

Cardiac troponin T levels and inotropic requirements were assessed in the sera of 39 heart donors immediately before heart harvesting and, in their recipients, during the first two days after transplantation. In the donors who died of cranial trauma (n=21), serum troponin T levels as well as inotropic support were lower (P<0.05 and P<0.025, respectively) than in the donors (n= 18) in whom death was caused by spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage. In the recipients, no differences in troponin T or inotropic support levels were found in relation to the modality of their donors' brain death.