Given the access to direct invasive measurements of left ventricular (LV) chamber pressure
and volume, one would presume that the analysis of diastolic function would be fairly
straightforward. Certainly, many of the ambiguities associated with noninvasive echo-
Doppler parameters stem from their lack of directness; however, even with such invasive
data, thoughtful assessment of diastolic properties requires an understanding of the
assumptions upon which the analysis is based, and the various factors that can influence the …