Can anatomical left ventricular mass be estimated reliably by M-mode echocardiography?  A clinicopathological study of ninety-three patients.
To evaluate the accuracy of M-mode echocardiography in the assessment of left ventricular mass, we compared various echocardiography-derived regression equations for left ventricular mass to postmortem left ventricular weights in 93 patients (mean age 68 +/- 11 years) who had autopsy within 30 days of technically adequate two-dimensional guided M-mode echocardiography and who had normal left ventricular shape.  The left ventricle was enlarged in 36 patients (39%) and was involved by chronic ischemic disease in 48 patients (52%).  Only a modest correlation was found between M-mode echocardiography and anatomical left ventricular mass (range of correlation coefficients, 0.58 to 0.67). Each echocardiographic formula demonstrated increasing deviations as left ventricular mass increased.  A previously suggested correction formula lessened overestimation, but considerable data dispersion remained.  Regional wall-motion abnormalities, present in 22%, did not affect the correlation.  We conclude that M-mode echocardiography, performed with standard methods, does not reliably estimate anatomical left ventricular mass, especially in patients with large hearts.
Bachenberg
T C
TC
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN  55905.
Shub
C
C
Hauck
A J
AJ
Edwards
W D
WD
D000368:Aged; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged