Akinesia refers to a segment of the heart muscle that shows no movement during the cardiac cycle, meaning it neither contracts during systole nor relaxes normally during diastole. This finding is most commonly seen during echocardiography and typically indicates that the muscle in that area has been severely damaged, usually by a myocardial infarction, or heart attack. Sonographers evaluate wall motion by watching each segment of the left ventricle during real-time imaging and classify the motion as normal, hypokinetic (reduced movement), akinetic (no movement), or dyskinetic (paradoxical movement). Identifying akinesia helps cardiologists determine which coronary artery territory was affected and plan appropriate treatment.
Sonography Term