Three-dimensional echocardiographic reconstruction of right ventricular volume: in vitro comparison with two-dimensional methods.
Two-dimensional echocardiographic measures of right ventricular volume are limited by the asymmetric and crescentic shape of that ventricle and the difficulty in obtaining standardized views. We have developed a three-dimensional echocardiographic system that automatically integrates images and positional data and calculates right ventricular volume without the need for geometric assumptions or standardized views and a surfacing algorithm that takes advantage of the full three-dimensional data set. The accuracy of this system was studied and compared with two-dimensional methods in 12 gel-filled excised human right ventricles (18 to 74 ml). Volumes calculated by three-dimensional echocardiography correlated well with actual values (r = 0.99) and agreed more closely with them than did those obtained by two-dimensional methods (p < 0.02).
Jiang
L
L
Cardiac Ultrasound Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Handschumacher
M D
MD
Hibberd
M G
MG
Siu
S C
SC
King
M E
ME
Weyman
A E
AE
Levine
R A
RA
D000465:Algorithms; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right