Abnormal postsystolic thickening in acutely ischemic myocardium during coronary angioplasty: a velocity, strain, and strain rate doppler myocardial imaging study.

We report a case in which the combination of gray scale imaging of wall thickness changes allied to color DMI regional velocity, strain, and strain rate data identified the development and regression of diastolic thickening in the acute ischemic segment during a right coronary artery percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). We also discuss the possible mechanisms and potential clinical implications of this finding.