Comparison of methods to measure heart size using noncontrast-enhanced computed tomography: correlation with left ventricular mass.
OBJECTIVE
Left ventricular (LV) mass is a useful independent predictor of cardiovascular events. We sought to develop a new correlate of LV mass using noncontrast-enhanced cardiac computed tomography (NCE-CCT).


METHODS
We assessed 22 different ventricular measurements made with NCE-CCT in 60 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. The primary outcome was the correlation between the NCE-CCT measurements and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived LV mass.


RESULTS
Correlation coefficients (r) for the 22 NCE-CCT techniques in comparison to MRI-derived LV mass ranged from 0.12 to 0.80, with 14 of the 22 techniques having r > 0.7. The highest correlation was achieved using the modified Simpson Rule method to determine the biventricular volume (r = 0.80; P < 0.001). Interrater reliability was good, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.84 to 0.90 for the best (r > 0.75) NCE-CCT methods.


CONCLUSIONS
Noncontrast-enhanced cardiac computed tomography measurements of both biventricular volume and LV volume correlated well with MRI-derived LV mass in a population free of clinical cardiovascular disease.
Daniel
Kurt R
KR
Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. krdaniel@wfubmc.edu
Bertoni
Alain G
AG
Ding
Jingzhong
J
Johnston
Sara
S
Budoff
Matthew J
MJ
Bluemke
David A
DA
Carr
J Jeffrey
JJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D003287:Contrast Media