Twist Mechanics of the Left Ventricle Principles and Application
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector JACC: CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING VOL. 1, NO. 3, 2008 © 2008 BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY FOUNDATION ISSN 1936-878X/08/$34.00 PUBLISHED BY ELSEVIER INC. DOI:10.1016/j.jcmg.2008.02.006 FROM PICTURES TO PRACTICE PARADIGMS Twist Mechanics of the Left Ventricle Principles and Application Partho P. Sengupta, MBBS, MD, DM, A. Jamil Tajik, MD, Krishnaswamy Chandrasekaran, MD, Bijoy K. Khandheria, MD Scottsdale, Arizona Left ventricular (LV) twist or torsion represents the mean longitudinal gradient of the net difference in clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the LV apex and base, as viewed from LV apex. Twist during ejection predominantly deforms the subendocardial fiber matrix, resulting in storage of potential energy. Subsequent recoil of twist deformation is associated with the release of restoring forces, which contributes to LV diastolic relaxation and early diastolic filling. Noninvasive techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography are useful for understanding LV twist dynamics in clinical settings, and data regarding their relative merits and pitfalls are rapidly accumulating. This review is a focused update on the current and evolving applications of LV twist mechanics in clinical cardiology. First, the theoretical framework for understanding the physiological sequence of LV twist during a cardiac cycle is presented. Second, variations in LV twist encountered in different experimental and clinical situations are discussed. Finally, the review presents an algorithm for routine application of LV twist in clinical differentiation of patterns of LV dysfunction encountered in day-to-day practice. (J Am Coll Cardiol Img 2008;1:366–76) © 2008 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation ower, in 1669, was the first to describe the resulted into development of innovative tech- twisting motion of the left ventricle (LV) as niques in which LV twists are readily com- “. the wringing of a linen cloth to squeeze puted from grayscale cardiac ultrasound images L out the water” (1). Over the past 3 obtained at the bedside. centuries, the twist deformation of the LV has continued to intrigue clinicians and researchers Uniform Definitions for Characterization in their quest to understand the performance of of LV Twist Deformation human heart. Experimental and clinical explo- rations on LV twist have entailed use of nu- Terms such as LV rotation, twist, and torsion merous techniques such as implanted ra- are often used interchangeably for explaining diopaque markers (2), biplane cine angiography the wringing motion of the LV. For a uniform (3), sonomicrometry (4,5), optical devices (6), description, this review emphasizes that the gyroscopic sensors (7), magnetic resonance im- term rotation be referred to the rotation of a aging (MRI) (8–10), and echocardiography short-axis sections of LV as viewed from the (11–14). Furthermore, growth of interest in the apical end and defined as the angle between quantifying LV twist in clinical settings has radial lines connecting the center of mass of From the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona. Manuscript received January 3, 2008; revised manuscript received February 19, 2008, accepted February 29, 2008. JACC: CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING, VOL. 1, NO. 3, 2008 Sengupta et al. 367 MAY 2008:366–76 Twist Mechanics of the Left Ventricle that specific cross-sectional plain to a specific point angiographic markers (18), sonomicrometry (11, in the myocardial wall at end diastole and at any 14), rotational devices (6), and echocardiography other time during systole (15). The unit of rotation (11,14) have recorded an initial clockwise motion of is degrees or radians. The base and apex of the LV the LV apex and counterclockwise motion of the rotate in opposite directions. The terms twist and LV base during isovolumic contraction. However, torsion refer to the same phenomenon and should studies with magnetic resonance tagging have re- be used for defining the base-to-apex gradient in ported that both the LV base and the apex rotate in the rotation angle along the longitudinal axis of the a counterclockwise direction during iso- LV, expressed in degrees per centimeter or radians volumic contraction (10,20). The reason ABBREVIATIONS per meter (15). The absolute apex-to-base differ- for this discrepancy remains unclear and AND ACRONYMS ence in LV rotation (also in degrees or radians) is has been attributed to the lower temporal left ventricle/ventricular ؍ stated as the net LV twist angle or the net LV resolution of magnetic resonance tagging LV mitral regurgitation ؍ torsion angle (15). Some investigators have also (14). MR magnetic resonance ؍ expressed torsion as the axial gradient in the rota- MRI tion angle multiplied by the average of the outer Link Between Myofiber Geometry imaging right ventricle/ventricular ؍ radii in apical and basal cross-sectional planes, and Twist Mechanics RV thereby representing the shear deformation angle on the epicardial surface (unit degrees or radians) In the LV myocardial wall, the myofibers geometry (16). It must be emphasized that LV length and changes smoothly from a right-handed helix in the diameter change dynamically during a cardiac cycle, subendocardium to a left-handed helix in the sub- and therefore these normalization schemes permit epicardium such that the helix angle varies contin- comparison of only the peak magnitude of torsion uously from positive at the endocardium to negative for different sizes of LV (15,17). at the epicardium (Fig. 2). To provide a framework for interpreting LV twist, Taber et al. (21) proposed a model of helical layer architecture composed of Temporal Sequence of LV Twist obliquely aligned muscle fibers embedded in an isotropic matrix (Fig. 2A). As shown in the model, Figure 1 shows the temporal sequence of LV twist. on one hand the contraction of the epicardial fibers During isovolumic contraction, the LV apex shows brief clockwise rotation that reverses rapidly and 12 34 becomes counterclockwise during LV ejection 16.0 (18,19). The magnitude of peak rotation varies Apex Rotation depending on the position of the cross-section viewed from the tip of LV apex. For standardiza- 8.0 tion, therefore, the LV apical cross-section should be obtained well beyond the papillary muscle, with either none or the smallest view of the right 0.0 ventricle (RV) in the cross-section. Counterclock- wise twist in ejection is followed by untwisting Base Rotation (clockwise rotation) of the LV apex, which occurs during the isovolumic relaxation and the early 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 period of diastole. In contrast to the LV apex, rotation of the LV base is significantly lower in magnitude and oppo- Figure 1. Temporal Sequences of LV Twist During a Cardiac Cycle site in direction. During isovolumic contraction, The left ventricular (LV) rotation from apical and basal cross-sections of LV there is a brief counterclockwise rotation, which is has been obtained by speckle tracking of B-mode cardiac ultrasound images followed by clockwise rotation during ejection and (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) in a normal healthy subject. The dif- ference between the 2 rotations provides an estimate of net LV twist angle counterclockwise rotation during isovolumic relax- (black line). During isovolumic contraction (phase 1), the apex shows a brief ation and early diastolic filling. clockwise rotation and the base shows a brief counterclockwise rotation. Interestingly the description of LV apex rotation During ejection (phase 2), the direction of rotation changes to counterclock- during the phase of isovolumic contraction has wise at the LV apex and clockwise at the LV base, respectively. Torsional recoil occurs predominantly during the phase of isovolumic relaxation varied depending on the technique used. Studies (phase 3) and early diastolic filling (phase 4). that have measured LV apex rotation using cine- 368 Sengupta et al. JACC: CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING, VOL. 1, NO. 3, 2008 Twist Mechanics of the Left Ventricle MAY 2008:366–76 stretch both contribute to a brief clockwise rotation of LV apex (18,22,26,27). The transmural spread of electrical activation results in sequential subendocardial-to-subepicardial fiber shortening (24,25). Although the subendocardial forces exceed subepicardial forces, the larger radius of subepicar- dial region produces higher torque to dominate the direction of rotation. The large subepicardial torque is coupled transmurally to the midwall and suben- docardium and results in global counterclockwise LV rotation near the apex and clockwise rotation near the LV base during ejection. In the subepicar- dium, this twist aids contraction in the principal fiber direction (18). In the midwall, this torque enhances shortening in the circumferential direc- tion (18). In the subendocardium, this torque causes fiber rearrangement such that subendocardial fibers are sheared toward the LV cavity for LV wall thickening, whereas the LV base is pulled toward the apex, shortening the longitudinal axis of the LV. Twisting and shearing of the subendocardial fibers deforms the matrix and result in storage of potential energy, which is subsequently utilized for diastolic recoil (4). Figure 2. Myofiber Architecture of LV and Models for Understanding The torsional recoil during isovolumic relaxation LV Twist Dynamics and early diastole releases the potential energy Myofiber orientation