Precordial Movements over the Right Ventricle in Normal Children

Marked paradoxical septal motion associated with an early diastolic heart sound

The findings in four patients with marked paradoxical septal motion and an unusual early diastolic sound are presented. Each patient had markedly abnormal right ventricular function. Phonocardiograms, apexcardiograms, and echocardiograms showed the sound to precede the expected timing of a third heart sound and to coincide with the peak leftward displacement of the paradoxically moving septum in early diastole. In two patients the sound was also accompanied by third and fourth heart sounds, revealing a total of five heart sounds on phonocardiographic studies. The sound appeared to originate from the sudden deceleration of the septal mass as it moved leftward during ventricular relaxation.

Magnet noncontact apexcardiography. A new technique for registering chest motion

A new apexcardiographic recording system has been developed which is free of certain technical limitations. This noncontact magnetic transducer was tested alternately with a commonly used pneumatic piezoelectric transducer in a comparative study on ten normal subjects. The magnetic registration offered a more accurate timing and configuration of the ACG. Signal distortion, such as peaked waves and an early fall of the systolic wave, was eliminated. The magnetic transducer was capable of recording directional apex point tracings, as well as pulsations of a larger apical area. The new system proved to possess definite advantages and eliminated some of the inconveniences inherent in the pneumatically coupled system.

Normal cardiogram in the pulmonary area

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