[Value of thoracic radiography in the assessment of cardiac size. A comparison with left ventricular cardiography].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of standard chest radiographs in the assessment of cardiac size.


METHODS
In 193 patients cardiac size was compared between standard chest radiographs in the posteroanterior and lateral projection and left ventricular angiograms. The following parameters were determined: transverse diameter, lateral horizontal transverse diameter, cardiothoracic ratio and end-diastolic volume index (EDVI) and ejection fraction (EF).


RESULTS
Subjective assessment of the left ventricular size resulted in a mean sensitivity/specificity/accuracy of 69.7%/87.4%/82.0% respectively, in comparison to EDVI. Estimation of global heart size yielded a mean sensitivity/specificity/accuracy of 48.8%/93.6%/77.8%, respectively, in comparison to EF. Cardiothoracic ratio for the detection of pathological EDVI or EF had a sensitivity of 77.3%/57.4% a specificity of 79.3%/80.8% and an accuracy of 78.9%/72.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
Standard chest radiographs with the determination of cardiothoracic ratio remain a clinically relevant procedure for screening and follow-up of heart disease.
Jung
G
G
Institut und Poliklinik für Radiologische Diagnostik, Universität zu Köln.
Landwehr
P
P
Schanzenbächer
G
G
Faeber
B
B
Lackner
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000790:Angiocardiography; D002306:Cardiac Volume; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013318:Stroke Volume
Stellenwert der Thoraxübersichtsaufnahme in der Beurteilung der Herzgrösse. Ein Vergleich mit den Ergebnissen der Lärokardiographie.