title: Analysis of cardiac dimensions, mass and function in heart transplant recipients using 64-slice multi-detector computed tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart transplant recipients present a challenge to cardiac multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) imaging due to high resting heart rates and body mass indices. Previous studies demonstrated the feasibility of coronary allograft vasculopathy detection by MDCT in heart transplant recipients. However, its performance in assessing cardiac structure and function in these patients has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to compare 64-slice MDCT analysis of cardiac structure and function to 2-dimensional echocardiography in heart transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two independent observers used both semi-automated and automated software to measure chamber dimensions and left ventricular ejection fraction and mass in 20 heart transplant recipients by 64-slice MDCT. Inter-observer variability was determined. The results were compared with echocardiographic measurements provided by another blinded observer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was moderate agreement between MDCT and echocardiography for chamber dimension measurements, except for left atrial diameter. Ejection fraction by MDCT was slightly lower (mean difference: -2 +/- 9%, p = 0.29) than that obtained by echocardiography and the correlation was moderate (R = 0.49 to 0.54). Left ventricular mass measurements were significantly lower by MDCT (mean difference: -87 +/- 44 g, p < 0.001). Inter-observer agreement for MDCT analysis of left ventricular function (R = 0.90) and mass (R = 0.83) were excellent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate moderate agreement between 64-slice MDCT and echocardiography in the assessment of chamber dimensions as well as left ventricular mass and function in heart transplant recipients with low inter-observer variability. Also, the addition of cardiac structural and functional analysis to MDCT coronary angiography requires no additional scan time, contrast administration or radiation exposure.
authors: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors: Maros
authors: M
authors: Ferencik
authors: Shawn A
authors: SA
authors: Gregory
authors: Javed
authors: J
authors: Butler
authors: Stephan
authors: S
authors: Achenbach
authors: Robert W
authors: RW
authors: Yeh
authors: Udo
authors: U
authors: Hoffmann
authors: Ignacio
authors: I
authors: Inglessis
authors: Ricardo C
authors: RC
authors: Cury
authors: Koen
authors: K
authors: Nieman
authors: Iris A
authors: IA
authors: McNulty
authors: Josephine A
authors: JA
authors: Healy
authors: Thomas J
authors: TJ
authors: Brady
authors: Marc J
authors: MJ
authors: Semigran
authors: Ik-Kyung
authors: IK
authors: Jang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*