Quantitative assessment of right ventricular systolic function by the analysis of right ventricular contrast time-intensity curve

To study reliability and reliable indices of quantitative assessment of right ventricular systolic function by time-intensity curve (TIC) with right ventricular contrast, 5% sonicated human albumin was injected intravenously at a does of 0.08 ml/kg into 10 dogs at baseline status and cardiac insufficiency. Apical four-chamber view was observed for washin and washout of contrast agent from right ventricle. The parameters of TIC were obtained by curve fitting. The differences of parameters were analyzed in different states of cardiac functions. Among the parameters derived from TIC, the time constant (k) was decreased significantly with decline of cardiac function (P<0.001). But half-time of decent of peak intensity (HT) and mean-transit-time (MTT) of washout were increased significantly (P<0.001). The k was strongly related to cardiac output of right ventricle (CO) and ejection fraction (EF) of left ventricle and fractional shortening (FS) of left ventricle. Right ventricular systolic function could be assessed reliably by the parameters derived from TIC with right ventricular contrast echocardiography. The k, HT and MTT are reliable indices for quantitative assessment of right ventricular systolic function.