Study of the Longitudinal Left Ventricular Systolic Function in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy by Quantitative Tissue Velocity Imaging

Objective To determine the value of the quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI) for the evaluation of the longitudial left ventricular systolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods Off line profiles of the left ventricular regional systolic velocity along long axis in 31 HCM patients and 20 healthy subjects were analyzed by QTVI. The regional myocardical systolic peak velocities and times from the electrocardiographic Q wave to the peak of the systolic wave of each segment were measured. The mean peak velocities (Vs) and times (Ts) of different segments from the same level were calculated. Results Vs was lower and Ts was longer at each level including mitral annular, basal, middle and apical segments in the HCM patients than that in the healthy subjects ( P 0.01). Conclusion The left ventricular longitudinal myocardial contractility is impaired although left ventricular ejection fraction is normal in HCM group, and these results suggest that QTVI be used to assess left ventricular longitudinal systolic function in patient with HCM. [