To evaluate the frequency of right ventricular dysfunction following recovery from myocardial infarction (MI) and the relationship of segmental right ventricular (RV) wall motion abnormalities to left ventricular (LV) function or location of coronary arterial stenosis, biplane right and left ventricular cineangiograms were obtained in 100 consecutive patients (4 +/- 3 months post MI). Thirty (group A) had anterior MI and significant stenosis or obstruction of left anterior descending artery (LAD). The remaining 70 patients had inferior MI. They were divided into three groups according to the site of the main coronary stenosis or obstruction and corresponding LV akinesia: right coronary artery (RCA) proximal to the acute marginal artery (RMA), (group B: 32 patients), RCA distal to the RMA (group C: 18 patients), left circumflex artery (LCF), (group D: 18 patients). RV and LV end-diastolic volume index (EDV), end-systolic volume index (ESV), stroke volume (SV) and ejection fraction (EF) have been determined. RV segmental wall motion was assessed in RAO and LAO projection by determining the percentage of systolic shortening (+ delta R) along 11 hemiaxes. Mean axial shortening (delta R) of the RV inferior and free walls were considered. When compared with that in 10 normal subjects, RV end-diastolic volume (RVEDV), RV end-systolic volume (RVESV) were increased and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) was lower in patients with anterior or inferior MI. Inferior delta R exhibited comparable sequential changes in the three groups of inferior MI and similar LVEF alteration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)