wall thickening
Systolic increase in myocardial wall thickness, indicating normal contractile function.
Full Definition
Wall thickening refers to the normal physiological increase in myocardial wall thickness that occurs during systolic contraction. In healthy myocardium, wall thickness increases by 30-50% from diastole to systole as muscle fibers contract and thicken. This parameter is assessed qualitatively and quantitatively in echocardiography, MRI, and other imaging modalities to evaluate regional myocardial function. Reduced or absent wall thickening indicates myocardial dysfunction, which may result from ischemia, infarction, or cardiomyopathy. Wall thickening assessment complements wall motion analysis in comprehensive cardiac function evaluation.
Usage
Usage note: Often assessed using percentage increase; normal values are modality-dependent.
In Context
- "The anterior wall demonstrated normal wall thickening throughout the cardiac cycle." — Echocardiography report
- "Reduced wall thickening was observed in the inferolateral segments." — Cardiac MRI functional assessment