© 2000 by European Society of Cardiology
Copyright © 2000, The European Society of Cardiology
Rapid Quantification of Left Ventricular Function and Mass Using Transoesophageal Three-dimensional Echocardiography: Validation of a Method that uses Long-axis Cutplanes*
Medical Clinic I, University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
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Abstract |
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Aims: Despite its proven superiority compared to conventional echocardiographic techniques, three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography has not gained widespread acceptance in clinical medicine for the quantification of left ventricular volumes, function and mass. This is mainly due to the large, time-consuming process of data analysis. We sought to validate a new method that enables the accurate quantification of the left ventricle in a clinically acceptable short period of time.
Methods and Results: Left ventricular volumes, ejection fraction and mass were determined in 44 patients using 3D echocardiography. The 3D echocardiographic data sets were analysed: (i) using the conventional ‘summation of slices’ algorithm (slice thickness 5 and 10 mm), which is based on the analysis of the 3D reconstructed left ventricle in short-axis cross-sections; and (ii) using the new method which is based on the analysis of the 3D reconstructed left ventricle in long-axis images. In each patient measurements were repeated using 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 and 15 long-axis images. For all volumetric measurements there was a continuous reduction of measurement variability using increasing numbers of long-axis images. The use of more than nine long-axis images for volumes, and eight long-axis images for ejection fraction and mass, did not result in a further reduction of variability. The analysis time for volumes and masses averaged less than 5 min for the long-axis method using nine component images, compared to 20–43 min for the short-axis method.
Conclusion: 3D echocardiography combined with a novel method based on the analysis of long-axis cross-section allows accurate quantification of left ventricular volumes, function and mass in a clinically acceptable short period of time. In the future, the combination of a real-time 3D echocardiographic acquisition technique with this analysis method should have important implications for the introduction of 3D echocardiography in clinical practice.
Keywords: three-dimensional echocardiography; left ventricular volume; ejection fraction; left ventricular mass; long-axis analysis method; rapid quantification
* Address for correspondence: Harald P. Kühl, Medical Clinic I, University Hospital, Pauwelstrasse 30, 52057 Aachen, Germany.
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