CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL PHENOTYPES OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR CONTRACTION
Ujvári Adrienn
Cardiovascular Medicine and Research Division
Dr. Merkely Béla
SE Városmajori Szív- és Érgyógyászati Klinika
2026-04-01 16:00:00
Cardiovascular Disorders: Physiology and Medicine of Ischaemic Circulatory Diseases
Dr. Merkely Béla
Dr. Kovács Attila
Dr. Horváth Tamás
Dr. Horváth Viktor József
Dr. Müller Veronika
Dr. Mikes Bálint
Dr. Farkas Attila
Due to the complex anatomy of the RV, 2D echocardiography has limited utility in its assessment, whereas 3DE offers more accurate and reproducible quantification of RV volumes and EF. In our first study on healthy volunteers using 3DE, we demonstrated that, in addition to longitudinal motion, radial and anteroposterior components significantly contribute to global RV function, indicating that reliance solely on longitudinal parameters may be inadequate.
Accurate assessment of RV morphology and function is crucial in cardiovascular disease among children and adolescents, especially in complex congenital heart conditions. In our second study, we quantified the longitudinal, radial, and anteroposterior components of global RV function using 3DE in healthy children and evaluated maturational changes. We found age-related differences in RV contraction patterns, with anteroposterior shortening being the dominant component. Assessing 3D RV parameters in children is feasible and improves understanding of RV function, potentially enhancing detection of dysfunction and treatment evaluation in the future.
Regular intense exercise imposes significant hemodynamic demands that drive structural and functional cardiac adaptations. Pediatric athletes form a unique group where clinical interpretation is challenging due to limited data. Our third study aimed to characterize RV contraction patterns in a large cohort of adolescent athletes using resting 3DE. Similar to adults, adolescent athletes show higher biventricular volumes, reduced resting functional measures, and enhanced RV longitudinal shortening. These exercise-induced cardiac changes are already evident during adolescence.
