Assessment of the normal adult right ventricular diastolic function using M-mode echocardiographic measurement of tricuspid ring motion.

Right ventricular function can be evaluated echocardiographically by assessing the longitudinal motion of the tricuspid ring recorded in the apical four chamber view. In this study, we applied this technique to assess the right ventricular diastolic function in 10 healthy Japanese men (mean age: 28 +/- 6 years; age range: 20-43 years). Echocardiographic studies were performed with a phased-array imaging system using a 2.5 MHz probe. Tricuspid ring motion was measured by two-dimensional echo guided M-mode echocardiogram of the right lateral tricuspid ring. The excursion of the tricuspid ring during early diastole (DS; mm) and the peak rate of change of the excursion (dS/dt; mm/sec) were measured. We also assessed the right ventricular function by cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cine gradient echo images were obtained along the short axis of the right ventricle. The right ventricular volume at each phase of the cardiac cycle was calculated by Simpson's method and time-volume curves were constructed. The peak filling rate (dV/dt; ml/s) was determined from these time-volume curves. The dS was 12.8 +/- 2.5 mm, dS/dt was 132 +/- 27 mm/sec and dV/dt was 269 +/- 66 ml/s. There were significant positive correlations between dS and dV/dt (r = 0.80, P < 0.01), and between dS/dt and dV/dt (r = 0.45, P < 0.05). Based on our results, M-mode echocardiographic measurements of tricuspid ring motion may be used to assess the right ventricular diastolic function.