[Clinical validation of accuracy of anatomical M-mode measurements: effect of harmonic imaging].
OBJECTIVE
Recent advances in ultrasound technology allow reconstruction of images from stored radiofrequency information and creating of M-mode echocardiograms along an M-mode cursor of any direction (anatomical M-mode echocardiography).


METHODS
The accuracy of the measurements obtained by anatomical M-mode echocardiography was evaluated by comparing the measurements with those by B-mode echocardiography with or without harmonic imaging in 8 normal subjects and 14 patients with cardiac disorders. Measurements used the left ventricular short-axis image in 4 different directions (0 to 6, 3 to 9, 1 to 7 and 5 to 11 o'clock).


RESULTS
Anatomical M-mode and B-mode measurements showed good linear relationships with correlation coefficients of 0.90 to 0.99 in any of the 4 directions. However, measurements in the lateral direction (3 to 9 o'clock) showed larger errors than those in the other directions (p < 0.05). With the use of harmonic imaging, the errors tended to become smaller, although it did not reach statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Anatomical M-mode echocardiography accurately measures the left ventricular internal diameter in any direction except the lateral direction. Harmonic imaging is useful to decrease the errors.
Katsuki
K
K
Department of Clinical Physiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka.
Nakatani
S
S
Kanzaki
H
H
Hanatani
A
A
Tanaka
N
N
Nakasone
I
I
Masuda
Y
Y
Yamagishi
M
M
Miyatake
K
K
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged