What is the typical normal value for right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain and how is a less negative value interpreted?

What is the typical normal value for right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain and how is a less negative value interpreted?

• A. Normal around -30%; less negative indicates hyperfunction
• B. Normal around -5%; more negative indicates dysfunction
• C. Normal around -20%; less negative indicates dysfunction
• D. Normal around 0%; more negative indicates overload

Answer: (C)

Right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain measures how much the RV free wall shortens along its length during systole, using speckle-tracking echocardiography. Because the wall shortens, the strain value is negative. The typical normal value is about -20% (roughly -18 to -25%). When the value becomes less negative, such as -12% or -8%, it means the RV isn’t shortening as much and its systolic function is reduced, i.e., dysfunction. More negative values indicate greater shortening, up to the normal physiologic range, but the clinically accepted normal center is around -20%. So stating that normal is around -20% and that a less negative value indicates dysfunction correctly reflects how RV strain is interpreted.

Right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain measures how much the RV free wall shortens along its length during systole, using speckle-tracking echocardiography. Because the wall shortens, the strain value is negative. The typical normal value is about -20% (roughly -18 to -25%). When the value becomes less negative, such as -12% or -8%, it means the RV isn’t shortening as much and its systolic function is reduced, i.e., dysfunction. More negative values indicate greater shortening, up to the normal physiologic range, but the clinically accepted normal center is around -20%. So stating that normal is around -20% and that a less negative value indicates dysfunction correctly reflects how RV strain is interpreted.