Table 1. Parameters affected by pulmonary hypertension (PH) that can be detected by right heart imaging
ViewMeasurementsNormal rangePH
Long-axis view of LV or short-axis view of aorta and left atriumLV end-diastolic diameter cm4.2–5.9 in males and 3.9–5.3 in females [8–10]↓
LV end-systolic diameter cm2.1–4.0 in males and 2.4 in females [8–10]↓
Long-axis view of the RV inflow tractBasal diameter of RV cm3.7–5.4 [11]↑
Tricuspid annulus cm1.3–2.8 [11, 12]↑
Tricuspid regurgitant velocity m·s−1<2.6 [13]↑
Long- and short-axis views of RVOT or short-axis view of aorta and left atriumRVOT cm1.7–2.3 [8, 11]↑
Main pulmonary trunk cm1.5–2.1 [8, 11]↑
Right pulmonary artery cm0.7–1.7 [11, 14]↑
Left pulmonary artery cm0.6–1.4 [8, 11]↑
RV outflow acceleration time ms>110 [8, 15, 16]↓
Pulmonary regurgitant velocity (beginning of diastole) m·s−1<1 [14, 17]↑
Pulmonary regurgitant velocity (end diastole) m·s−1<1 [14, 17]↑
Apical four-chamber view#Basal diameter of RV cm2.0–2.8 [8, 11]↑
RV end-diastolic area cm211–28 [8, 11]↑
RV end-systolic area cm27.5–16 [8, 11, 18]↑
Right atrial area (end-systole) cm213.5±2 cm [18]↑
RA volume index mL·m−2≤34 in males and ≤27 in females [8, 19, 20]↑
Tricuspid annulus cm1.3–2.8 [8, 12]↑
Right ventricular fractional area change %32–60 [8, 21, 22]↓
Apical four-chamber viewTricuspid regurgitant velocity m·s−1<2.6 [13]↑
Deceleration time–tricuspid inflow ms144–244 [23, 24]↑
RV MPI (Tei index)<0.28 [8, 25, 26, 27]↑
TAPSE mm≥20 [8, 28–30]↓
IVRT (TDI RV free wall) ms<75 [6, 8, 31, 32]↑

  • LV: left ventricle; RV: right ventricle; RVOT: right ventricular outflow tract; RA: right atrium; MPI: myocardial performance index; TAPSE: tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion; IVRT: isovolumic relaxation time; TDI: tissue Doppler imaging; ↓: decreased in PH; ↑: increased in PH. #: two-dimensional echocardiograph; : Doppler echocardiograph.