A multicenter validation of an active contour-based left ventricular analysis technique.
Quantitative analysis of functional cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) images has been limited by the lack of well-validated, semiautomatic, methods for rapid analysis. We describe the evaluation of a DICOM-compatible PC-based parallel-processing tool, for cardiac magnetic resonance analysis (CAMRA), which supports semiautomatic image mensuration using an active contour model-based algorithm. The CAMRA software was used to analyze data from 12 patients in a multicenter acquisition and analysis trial to compare semiautomatic contour detection with manual planimetry of the left ventricular endocardium from short-axis, breath-held, cine gradient-echo images. There was excellent agreement between the manual and semiautomatic measurements of global left ventricular function, with no significant (P = 0.32) difference in the determination of ejection fraction (-0.9 +/- 3.1% [mean difference +/- 1 standard deviation]). There was no significant interobserver difference in the semiautomatically measured ejection fraction. Additionally, a single observer completed the analysis on data from 30 patients and found no significant (P = 0.05) difference in the determination of ejection fraction (-1.3 +/- 3.5% [mean difference +/- 1 standard deviation]). The CAMRA software demonstrates the capability for the reproducible evaluation of global left ventricular function in cardiac patients, with adequate interobserver reproducibility for use in multicenter trials.
Graves
M J
MJ
Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. mjg40@radiol.cam.ac.uk
Berry
E
E
Eng
A A
AA
Westhead
M
M
Black
R T
RT
Beacock
D J
DJ
Kelly
S
S
Niemi
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*