Orientation and Magnitude of the Left Ventricular Principal Strains Are Sensitive to Ischemic Injury

Chun Xu¹, Kevin Koomalsingh¹, Gamaliel Isaac², Joseph H. Gorman², Robert C. Gorman², Lawrence Dougherty², James Pilla²

Accurate assessment of regional and global left ventricular (LV) functions is critical for ischemic heart disease. The orientation and the magnitude of the myocardial principal strains have been shown to be sensitive to ischemic development. This study presents a method to fully characterize the alterations in the magnitude and orientations of principal strains in a pig left ventricle. The computaed decreases in principal strains due to introduced infarct are confirmed by implanted markers and perfusion image, indicating impaired transmural thickening and circumferential shortening. Characterization of the remote, border zone and infarct 3D strain is paramount in understanding infarct expansion and in the development of therapies to mitigate remodeling.