Relationship between left ventricular isovolumic relaxation flow patterns and mitral inflow patterns studied by using vector flow mapping.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between isovolumic relaxation flow (IRF) patterns in left ventricle (LV) and mitral inflow patterns. Color Doppler loops were acquired for vector flow mapping in apical long-axis view in 57 patients with coronary artery disease, 31 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, and 58 healthy controls. IRF patterns were classified into three categories: pattern A, apically directed flow; pattern B, bidirectional flow with small scattered vortices; and pattern C, a large vortex. All normals and patients with normal LV filling (n = 10) showed pattern A. Patients with impaired relaxation consisted of 31 (66%) patients having pattern A, 11 (23%) having pattern B, and 5 (11%) having pattern C. Patients with pseudonormal filling included 4 (31%) patients having pattern A, 7 (54%) having pattern B, and 2 (15%) having pattern C. In patients with restrictive filling, 14 (78%) showed pattern C, 4 (22%) showed pattern B, and no patient showed pattern A. IRF patterns were associated with LV filling patterns (χ2 = 52.026, p < 0.001). There are significant relationships between LV filling and IRF patterns. IRF patterns may provide an index for evaluation of LV diastolic function.