The clinical evaluation of right ventricular (RV) contractility is problematic because instantaneous RV volumetry is difficult to achieve. Our aim was to test whether global RV contractility can be assessed by using regional indexes in the longitudinal and/or circumferential axis. Six anesthetized adult ewes were instrumented with a RV conductance catheter and four RV free wall sonomicrometry crystals (interrogating the longitudinal and circumferential axes). Global and regional preload recruitable stroke work (PRSW) were measured by using acute vena cava occlusions at baseline, during esmolol and dobutamine infusion, and during stable low-preload and high-afterload conditions. The agreement between regional and global PRSW was assessed with regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Both regional PRSW indexes correlated well with global PRSW in baseline conditions, during inotropic modulation (R(2) = 0.83 and 0.74 for longitudinal and circumferential regional PRSW, respectively), and during preload reduction (R(2) = 0.62 and 0.83, respectively), but only longitudinal regional PRSW correlated with global PRSW in increased afterload conditions (R(2) = 0.59 and 0.13 for longitudinal and circumferential regional PRSW, respectively). We conclude that in the open-chest, open-pericardium animal model, deformation in the longitudinal axis accurately reflects global RV contractile function in baseline conditions and during acute load modulation, whereas circumferential motion is influenced by changes in afterload.