Reconstructed 4-chamber views compared with axial imaging for assessment of right ventricular enlargement on CT pulmonary angiograms.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that right enlargement assessed from right ventricular/left ventricular (RV/LV) dimension ratios of computed tomographic (CT) angiograms are equivalent irrespective of whether measured on axial views or reconstructed 4-chamber views.


METHODS
RV/LV dimension ratios were calculated from measurements on axial views, manually reconstructed 4-chamber views and computer generated reconstructed 4-chamber views of CT angiograms in 152 patients with PE.


RESULTS
Paired readings of the axial view and manually reconstructed 4-chamber view showed agreement with RV/LV > or =1 or RV/LV <1 in 114 of 127 (89.8%). Paired readings also showed agreement in 119 of 127 (93.7%) with axial views and computer generated reconstructed 4-chamber views. The McNemar test showed no statistically significant difference between assessments of RV enlargement (RV/LV > or = 1) with any method.


CONCLUSIONS
Right ventricular enlargement can be determined from axial views on CT angiograms, which are readily and immediately available, without obtaining 4-chamber reconstructed views.
Stein
Paul D
PD
Department of Research, St Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, Pontiac, MI 48341-5023, USA. steinp@trinity-health.org
Matta
Fadi
F
Yaekoub
Abdo Y
AY
Goodman
Lawrence R
LR
Sostman
H Dirk
HD
Weg
John G
JG
Hales
Charles A
CA
Hull
Russell D
RD
Leeper
Kenneth V
KV
Beemath
Afzal
A
Saeed
Ibrahim M
IM
Woodard
Pamela K
PK