Objective To evaluate the characteristics of left ventricular twisting (LVtw) and untwisting (LVuntw) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods Nineteen DCM patients (aged 18-82 years, mean 50.52±17.52 years, 2 females) and 21 normal controls (aged 18-80 years, mean 49.05±16.94 years, 5 females) were enrolled in present study. Basal and apical short axis view of two-dimensional images of left ventricle were obtained to analyze LV rotation, and the LV rotation velocity was detected

more »

... y velocity vector imaging (VVI). LVtw, LVtw velocity, untwisting velocity and untwisting rate (untwR) were calculated. Results The rotated degree and velocity of the basal and apical parts of LV myocardium were irregularly changed along with the cardiac cycle in the DCM group. The rotation degree and rotation velocity at the basal and apex axis decreased in DCM group compared with that in normal group, while the peak of twisting (Ptw) [(6.49±1.82)°] and the peak of twisting velocity (PTV) [(67.84±15.60)°/s] decreased significantly in DCM group. The untwR and peak of untwisting velocity (PUV) were also decreased significantly in DCM patients. Conclusion The Ptw, PTV and PUV decrease significantly, and the LV untwR, impacted by the preload, is also decreased significantly in DCM patients. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2015.09.13