Assessment of left ventricular volumes using simplified 3-D echocardiography and computed tomography - a phantom and clinical study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the accuracy of simplified 3-dimensional (3-D) echocardiography vs. multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) software for the quantification of left ventricular (LV) volumes.


METHODS
Three-D echocardiography (3-planes approach) and MSCT-CardIQ software were calibrated by measuring known volumes of 10 phantoms designed to closely mimic blood-endocardium interface. Subsequently, LV volumes were measured with both the methods in 9 patients referred routinely for coronary angiography and the agreement between the measurements was evaluated.


RESULTS
Simplified 3D-echocardiography provided higher degree of agreement between the measured and true phantom volumes (mean difference 0 +/- 1 ml, variation range +4 to -4 ml) than MSCT software (mean difference 6 +/- 5 ml; variation range +22 to -10 ml). The agreement between LV measurements in the patients was considerably poorer, with significantly larger volumes produced by MSCT (mean difference -23 +/- 40 ml, variation between +93 and -138 ml).


CONCLUSIONS
Simplified 3-D echocardiography provides more accurate assessment of phantom volumes than MSCT-CardIQ software. The discrepancy between the results of LV measurements with the two methods is even greater and does not warrant their interchangeable diagnostic use.
School for Technology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology, Flemingsberg, Stockholm, Sweden. mmar@kth.se
Mattias
M
Mårtensson
Reidar
R
Winter
Kerstin
K
Cederlund
Jonaz
J
Ripsweden
Habib
H
Mir-Akbari
Jacek
J
Nowak
Lars-Ake
LA
Brodin
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011336:Probability; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*