In Vitro Feasibility and Accuracy of Three-Dimensional Echocardiography for Ventricular Volume Assessment in Very Small Hearts.
To evaluate the in vitro accuracy of three-dimensional echocardiography (3-DE) for estimation of ventricular volume in very small hearts, left ventricular (LV) volume was determined by 3-DE in the excised hearts of 10 guinea pigs and 10 rabbits, and right ventricular (RV) volume was determined in 20 rabbits. The effect of edge enhancement, Sigma filter, and slice distance (1 mm versus 0.5 mm) was assessed in each heart. True volumes were obtained from ventricular casts. Mean cast volume was 1.38 +/- 0.83 mL for LVs and 1.63 +/- 1.01 mL for RVs. Correlations between 3-DE and true volumes were r > 0.99 (P < 0.0001) for both ventricles. Accuracy was not affected by ventricular type, slice distance, or Sigma filter. Mean percent difference from true volume was significantly less (P = 0.03) with edge enhancement. Ventricular volume can be assessed reliably by 3-DE in very small hearts. The edge enhancement feature improved the accuracy of the measurements.
Cavallé-Garrido
Tíscar
T
Division of Cardiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada M5G 1X8.
Smallhorn
Jeffrey F.
JF
Maeno
Yasuki
Y
McCrindle
Brian W.
BW
Boutin
Christine
C