The Ventricular Pulsations in Myocardial Infarction; a Fluoroscopic and Kymographic Study

Cardiac fluoroscopy and kymography give important information in the study of the patient with myocardial infarction. The observation of marked localized diminution of pulsation of the left ventricular border or of complete or partial reversal of pulsation is indicative of a circumscribed area of myocardial damage, usually as a result of previous myocardial infarction. Such findings may be observed in the absence of other typical clinical findings of previous myocardial infarction. Careful examination of left ventricular border motion should be a routine part of every chest fluoroscopy.

The incidence, location, duration, clinical significance, differential diagnosis and physiologic basis for abnormal left ventricular motion in myocardial infarction is reviewed.