Assessment of right ventricular segmental volumes and ejection fractions using a 15-segment model: three-dimensional echocardiographic study in healthy volunteers

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. On top of global ventricular function, segmental metrics may bear clinically relevant information. Concerning the left ventricle (LV), standardized segmentation is widely performed in different cardiovascular imaging modalities mainly to correlate regional dysfunction with coronary perfusion territories, or to appreciate and quantify distinct patterns in LV myocardial function. The same applies to the right ventricle (RV); as pulmonary hypertension, or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy are just two clinical examples among several others, where established regional dysfunction exists. Nevertheless, only a few options are available for the comprehensive and quantitative assessment of the segmental RV function due to its complex three-dimensional (3D) shape. Therefore, our aim was to develop a 3D echocardiographic software solution for volumetric partitioning of the RV using a 15-segment model and to investigate a large number of healthy volunteers to describe the normal segmental pattern. One hundred and fifty healthy adults with a balanced age range and an equal sex distribution were investigated (15-15 women and men in each age groups: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+). Beyond standard two-dimensional echocardiographic protocol, full volume 3D datasets were acquired. Using commercially available software, we reconstructed the 3D mesh model of the RV and measured end-diastolic (EDV), end-systolic volumes and ejection fraction (EF). The 3D model was post-processed using the ReVISION method to calculate regional and segmental volumes and EFs. Fifteen standard segments were separated and quantified (Figure). Increasing age resulted in significantly lower RV stroke volume (r=-0.17; p