The left ventricle is the largest and most muscular chamber of the heart. It receives blood from the left atrium and pumps it through the aortic valve into the aorta, delivering oxygenated blood to every part of the body. Because of this heavy workload, the left ventricle has the thickest walls of all four chambers. On echocardiography, sonographers evaluate the left ventricle for size, wall thickness, and how well it contracts. A weakened or enlarged left ventricle is a hallmark of heart failure, while abnormal thickening can suggest hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or long-standing hypertension.
Sonography Term