OBJECTIVETo evaluate intraventricular mechanical synchrony in systole by real-time tri-plane tissue synchronization imaging (TSI).

METHODSReal-time tri-plane TSI was performed in 20 normal subjects, and the apical 4-chamber, 2-chamber and long-axis views of the left ventricular (LV) were obtained simultaneously. The data were post-processed offline, and a TSI surface map of LV colorized according to the time-to-positive peak systolic velocity (TTP) was generated to reflect the segment TTP semi-quantitatively. The segmental TTP of the six-basal and six-mid segments of LV was measured and compared.

RESULTSThe myocardium was color-coded mainly by well-distributed green, and only a small portion displayed yellow or red color in the apical area; the TTP showed no significant differences between the segments measured (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIn normal subjects, the long-axis systolic motions of the LV are highly synchronized. TSI allows immediate visual identification of intraventricular mechanical synchrony and quantitative measurement of regional TTP.