Cardiac MRI assessment of left and right ventricular parameters in healthy Australian normal volunteers

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being utilised increasingly for the purposes of cardiovascular imaging. Limited data suggest a high degree of reproducibility for parameters such as left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF), mass, end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes (EDV and ESV). We sought to investigate reproducibility and establish means for these parameters in a selected normal non-Aboriginal Australian population, using cardiac MRI. Sixty normal volunteers underwent cardiac MRI investigation using a 1.5 T MRI system. Steady state free precession imaging was performed with short axis cine images through the left ventricle obtained. All images were acquired with cardiac gating. Two independent observers then analysed the data set. Data were collected for assessment of left ventricular EF, EDV, ESV, mass and right ventricular volumes. Data are presented as mean+/-S.D. Total imaging time was approximately 15 min. All patients were able to complete the full protocol. Left ventricular parameters: EF 58.5+/-8.0%, LV mass 114.2+/-40.6g, EDV 117.3+/-33.4 mls and ESV 50.0+/-22.2 mls. Right ventricular parameters: EF 45.6+/-11.6%, EDV 163.5+/-52.2 mls and ESV 89.5+/-34.3 mls. Intraclass correlation coefficients for LV: EF 0.84, LV mass 0.84, EDV 0.85 and ESV 0.89. Cardiac MRI provides high quality information about cardiac function with a high level of reproducibility. Cardiac MRI parameters in a normal non-Aboriginal Australian population are provided.