An enhanced method for left ventricular volume and ejection fraction by triggered harmonic contrast echocardiography

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Accurate assessment of left ventricular (LV) performance is crucial for diagnosing and managing cardiovascular diseases.
• Traditional echocardiographic methods can face challenges in LV border delineation, potentially affecting performance measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reproducibility of triggered harmonic contrast imaging (THCI) using intravenous echo-contrast agents for assessing LV performance.
• To compare THCI with continuous harmonic imaging (CHI) without contrast and cineventriculography (CVG).

Main Methods:

• LV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) were measured in 42 patients using THCI, CHI, and CVG.
• THCI utilized an intravenous echo-contrast agent.
• Comparison was made between contrast-enhanced and non-contrast imaging techniques.

Main Results:

• THCI improved LV border delineation in 10 of 42 patients where CHI was insufficient.
• Both CHI and THCI showed good correlation with CVG for LV volumes and EF.
• THCI reduced mean differences in LV volumes by approximately half compared to CHI.
• Observer variability was lower with THCI than with CHI.

Conclusions:

• THCI is a valid method for LV enhancement and accurate EF measurement.
• This noninvasive technique offers improved accuracy in assessing LV systolic function with acceptable reproducibility.
• THCI represents a valuable advancement in echocardiographic assessment of cardiac performance.