Variability and reproducibility of quantitative left ventricular angiography

To evaluate the reproducibility of left ventricular angiography for the assessment of left ventricular (LV) function and regional wall motion, two ventriculographies were performed in the 30 degrees right anterior oblique (RAO) projection, at 15-minute intervals, in 19 patients undergoing coronary angiography. Heart rate, left ventricular systolic pressure, and end-diastolic pressure were measured 15 minutes after the first angiography returned to the baseline values (71.0 +/- 14.1 vs. 72.2 +/- 15.5 beats/minute, 153.6 +/- 18.0 vs. 152.8 +/- 19.9 mm Hg, 21.7 +/- 8.6 vs. 20.9 +/- 7.3 mm Hg, respectively). Global and regional LV performance was analyzed by two observers with a computer-assisted technique. Intraobserver mean variation of end-diastolic volume and ejection fraction was less than 3% of the control value. Interobserver mean variations for the same parameters were less than 4% of control values. For both observers, there was no significant variation of LV end-diastolic volume and ejection fraction from one study to the other. Under stable hemodynamic conditions, the mean observed variations were, depending on the observer, 5-6% of the control value for LV end-diastolic volume and 5% for ejection fraction. Analysis of segmental wall motion was also highly reproducible. The mean intraobserver variation (% of control value) of wall motion ranged from 4.4% to 9.2%, depending on the sectors studied. The mean interobserver variation, whatever the sector, ranged from 6.9% to 13.5%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)