Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate regional myocardial dyssynchronicity and velocity of the left ventricle in patients with coronary artery disease.
Methods: Tissue synchronization imaging analysis of the time to peak velocity (Tp) and peak velocity (Vp) of left ventricular longitudinal myocardial segments was performed for 60 patients with coronary artery disease and 40 healthy subjects.
Results: Tissue synchronization imaging revealed synchronous myocardia in the control group and disturbed myocardial synchrony in patients, with greater dyssynchrony than in the control group (P < .005). Compared with the control group, patients showed a higher Tp of the left ventricular anterior wall and interventricular septum (P < .001). The apex-to-base gradient of tissue velocity was absent in patients. The mean Vp of all segments except the apical segment of the interventricular septum in patients was decreased significantly (P < .05).
Conclusions: Tissue synchronization imaging is a novel and noninvasive technique for quantitatively assessing regional myocardial Tp and Vp and can directly and quickly determine ischemia or infarction in myocardial segments.