Left ventricular and left atrial dimensions and volumes: comparison between dual-source CT and echocardiography

We sought to determine the agreement for the quantification of cardiac chamber dimensions, volumes, and myocardial mass between dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) and echocardiography.

One-hundred patients underwent DSCT and transthoracal echocardiography within 1 week. Measurements of dimensions were obtained in standardized planes in end-systole and end-diastole and included the anterior-posterior diameter of the left atrium, septal and posterior wall thickness, and inner diameter of the left ventricle. Global left ventricular (LV) functional parameters [end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), ejection fraction, and LV myocardial mass (LVMM)] were computed using semiautomated software. ESV, EDV, and LVMM were normalized to the body-surface-area (BSA). Intraobserver and interobserver agreement of DSCT analysis was assessed. Correlation between DSCT and echocardiography was tested through linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis.

DSCT measurements had an excellent inter- and intraobserver agreement with close limits of agreement (R = 0.85-0.99, P < 0.001). All measurements obtained with DSCT showed a significant correlation with echocardiography, with close limits of agreement between modalities for all parameters. Significant differences of the mean difference from zero were only found for septal and posterior wall thickness (P < 0.001) (with a homogenous underestimation) and for EDV/BSA (P < 0.05) (showing an overestimation) in DSCT compared with echocardiography. No significant directional measurement bias was found for any parameter except for LVMM/BSA (R = 0.24, P < 0.05).

Our results indicate that DSCT provides reliable measurements of LV dimensions, volumes, and myocardial mass with similar values as compared with echocardiography.