Postsystolic Shortening in Ischemic Myocardium

Abstract

Postsystolic shortening is a relatively nonspecific feature of ischemic myocardium and may occur in dyskinetic segments by an entirely passive mechanism. However, in segments with systolic hypokinesis or akinesis, postsystolic shortening is a marker of actively contracting myocardium. SDE was able to quantify postsystolic shortening and might represent a clinical method for identifying actively contracting and hence viable myocardium.