Accuracy of three-dimensional echocardiography in patients with prior anteroseptal myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
Echocardiography is the most feasible modality for monitoring cardiac volume and function. However, conventional two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) is frequently not accurate in measuring cardiac performance in cases of abnormal left ventricular wall motion, because of the geometric assumptions. Quantitative gated scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging are reliable modalities, but are expensive and not feasible for repetitive use. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) has been proved to be applicable in daily practice. The purpose of this study was to confirm the superiority of RT3DE to 2DE in assessing cardiac volume and function in patients with abnormal wall motion.


METHODS
The subjects were 41 patients with old anteroseptal myocardial infarction who underwent left ventricular volume and functional measurement by RT3DE, 2DE, and left ventriculography (LVG). End-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), and ejection fraction (EF) from RT3DE and 2DE were measured and compared with results from LVG.


RESULTS
RT3DE correlated well with LVG in measurements of EDV, ESV, and EF (r = 0.815, 0.940, and 0.812, respectively; P < 0.001 each). Likewise, 2DE correlated with LVG, but underestimated left ventricular volume, particularly EDV (r = 0.652, 0.909, and 0.761, respectively; P < 0.001 each).


CONCLUSIONS
Values derived from RT3DE were closer to those from LVG than were values derived from 2DE. RT3DE provides important information on cardiac function in patients with prior anteroseptal myocardial infarction.
Department of Health Promotion, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, 1981 Kamoda-Tsujidomachi, Kawagoe, 350-8550, Japan. ymaru@saitama-med.ac.jp.
Yoshiaki
Y
Maruyama
Department of Cardiology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, 1981 Kamoda-Tsujidomachi, Kawagoe, 350-8550, Japan.
Kentaro
K
Toyama
Department of Cardiology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, 1981 Kamoda-Tsujidomachi, Kawagoe, 350-8550, Japan.
Shunichi
S
Sato
Department of Cardiology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, 1981 Kamoda-Tsujidomachi, Kawagoe, 350-8550, Japan.
Nobuyuki
N
Masaki
Department of Cardiology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, 1981 Kamoda-Tsujidomachi, Kawagoe, 350-8550, Japan.
Masato
M
Kirimura
Department of Cardiology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, 1981 Kamoda-Tsujidomachi, Kawagoe, 350-8550, Japan.
Nobuo
N
Yoshimoto
Anteroseptal myocardial infarction; Left ventriculography; Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography