J. Lessick et al., REGIONAL 3-DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRY OF THE NORMAL HUMAN LEFT-VENTRICLE USING CINE COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY, Annals of biomedical engineering, 24(5), 1996, pp. 583-594
The aim of this study is to provide accurate three-dimensional measure
ments of left ventricular geometrical indices in relation to regional
myocardial function. The analysis of the three-dimensional regional ge
ometry and function of left ventricles of ten normal human volunteers
is based on three-dimensional reconstructions of the left ventricle fr
om cine computed tomography images, at end diastole and end systole, d
emonstrating normal left ventricular spatial, geometrical, and functio
nal variability. Regional wall thickness, curvature and surface normal
s, as well as wall thickening and endocardial wall motion, are calcula
ted and mapped for the entire left ventricle. The circumferential asym
metry of the left ventricle is reflected by the smaller circumferentia
l and meridional curvatures at the septum. Thickening is highest at th
e anterior and lateral walls. Longitudinally, circumferential curvatur
e increases toward the apex, whereas both wall thickness and wall thic
kening at end systole are largest at the midventricular level, decreas
ing toward the apex and base. This study describes the circumferential
and apex-to-base variations in regional left ventricular geometric pa
rameters of the normal human left ventricle, using three-dimensional i
maging and analysis.