title: MR image analysis: Longitudinal cardiac motion influences left ventricular measurements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Software for the analysis of left ventricular (LV) volumes and mass using border detection in short-axis images only, is hampered by through-plane cardiac motion. Therefore we aimed to evaluate software that involves longitudinal cardiac motion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three consecutive patients underwent 1.5-Tesla cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the entire heart in the long-axis and short-axis orientation with breath-hold steady-state free precession imaging. Offline analysis was performed using software that uses short-axis images (Medis MASS) and software that includes two-chamber and four-chamber images to involve longitudinal LV expansion and shortening (CAAS-MRV). Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility was assessed by using Bland-Altman analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with MASS software, CAAS-MRV resulted in significantly smaller end-diastolic (156+/-48ml versus 167+/-52ml, p=0.001) and end-systolic LV volumes (79+/-48ml versus 94+/-52ml, p<0.001). In addition, CAAS-MRV resulted in higher LV ejection fraction (52+/-14% versus 46+/-13%, p<0.001) and calculated LV mass (154+/-52g versus 142+/-52g, p=0.004). Intraobserver and interobserver limits of agreement were similar for both methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MR analysis of LV volumes and mass involving long-axis LV motion is a highly reproducible method, resulting in smaller LV volumes, higher ejection fraction and calculated LV mass.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Antwerp, Department of Cardiology, Belgium. pberko17@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berkovic
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hemmink
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Parizel
authors.forename: Christiaan J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Vrints
authors.forename: Bernard P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Paelinck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D016477:Artifacts; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult