Differences of lateral and septal mitral annulus velocity by tissue Doppler imaging in the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function.

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) was investigated in 276 outpatients at a university cardiology practice by tissue Doppler imaging of mitral valve annular velocity. The well-investigated parameters of mitral inflow were used as the standard. Using septal E/Ea ratios, 62 patients (22%) had no LVDD, 44 patients (16%) had mild LVDD, 126 patients (46%) had moderate LVDD, 25 patients (9%) had severe LVDD, and 19 patients (7%) had indeterminate LVDD. Using lateral E/Ea ratios, 131 patients (48%) had no LVDD, 40 patients (14%) had mild LVDD, 62 patients (22%) had moderate LVDD, 9 patients (3%) had severe LVDD, and 12 patients (13%) had indeterminate LVDD. In conclusion, the use of septal tissue Doppler imaging tends to overestimate the severity of LVDD compared with the use of lateral tissue Doppler imaging.