FREQUENCY AND IMPORTANCE OF MORPHOLOGIC A ND MORPHOMETRIC VARIABILITIES IN SELECTIVE RIGHT-VENTRICULAR ANGIOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSIS OF ARRHYTHMOGENIC RIGHT-VENTRICULAR DISEASE

Background: In arrhythmogenic right ventricular disease it is difficul t to find an imaging technique not only to suppose but to diagnose thi s disease. Patients and method: In order to assess the value of select ive right ventricular angiography in 104 patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular disease (n = 53), WPW-syndrome (n = 2), sarcoidosis (n = 1), atrial septum defect (n = 8), dilative cardiomyopathy (n = 8) , mitral valve disease (n = 17) and normal patterns (n = 15) right ven tricular angiography was performed in biplane 30-degrees-RAO/60-degree s-LAO projection. Quantitative criteria such as RVEDVi, RVEF, regional wall motion in infundibular, inferior, apical and anterior segments a nd qualitative criteria such as deep horizontal fissures in trabecular hypertrophy, ''pile d'assiettes'' phenomenon and enddiastolic bulges with loss of trabecular structure were analysed. Results: After extens ice statistical analysis enddiastolic bulges with loss of trabecular s tructure and in less circumstance segmental contraction impairment of the right ventricle are the most valuable angiographic signs in order to diagnose ARVD. Conclusion: The best definition of arrhythmogenic ri ght ventricular disease is obtained by extensive angiographic analysis with measurement of oxygen saturation and pressure curves in differen t positions, coronary angiography and biventricular angiography in ord er to distinguish between some in regard to right ventricular involvem ent similiar cardiac entities.