title: Age and gender specific normal values of left ventricular mass, volume and function for gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging: a cross sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge about age-specific normal values for left ventricular mass (LVM), end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV) and ejection fraction (EF) by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is of importance to differentiate between health and disease and to assess the severity of disease. The aims of the study were to determine age and gender specific normal reference values and to explore the normal physiological variation of these parameters from adolescence to late adulthood, in a cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gradient echo CMR was performed at 1.5 T in 96 healthy volunteers (11-81 years, 50 male). Gender-specific analysis of parameters was undertaken in both absolute values and adjusted for body surface area (BSA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age and gender specific normal ranges for LV volumes, mass and function are presented from the second through the eighth decade of life. LVM, ESV and EDV rose during adolescence and declined in adulthood. SV and EF decreased with age. Compared to adult females, adult males had higher BSA-adjusted values of EDV (p = 0.006) and ESV (p < 0.001), similar SV (p = 0.51) and lower EF (p = 0.014). No gender differences were seen in the youngest, 11-15 year, age range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LV volumes, mass and function vary over a broad age range in healthy individuals. LV volumes and mass both rise in adolescence and decline with age. EF showed a rapid decline in adolescence compared to changes throughout adulthood. These findings demonstrate the need for age and gender specific normal ranges for clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Lund University Hospital, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden. peteracain@gmail.com
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.forename: Ragnhild
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahl
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hedstrom
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ugander
authors.forename: Ase
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Allansdotter-Johnsson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Friberg
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arheden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult