Measurement of right ventricular volume using cine computed tomography

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Anatomy

Background:

• Right ventricular volume assessment is vital for congenital heart disease diagnosis.
• The right ventricle's complex shape complicates accurate volume measurement.
• Cine computed tomography (CT) provides high-resolution cardiac imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of cine CT for determining right ventricular volumes.
• To assess the clinical applicability of cine CT in evaluating right ventricular function.

Main Methods:

• 11 excised canine hearts were scanned ex vivo using cine CT.
• Endocardial contours were traced, and right ventricular cavity areas measured.
• Right ventricular volumes were calculated using Simpson's rule approximation and compared to fluid capacity measurements.

Main Results:

• Cine CT-derived right ventricular volumes showed a close correlation with actual volumes (R = .96).
• Interobserver agreement for volume measurements was excellent (R = .99).
• The technique demonstrated high accuracy and reproducibility in ex vivo measurements.

Conclusions:

• Cine CT scanning enables accurate and reproducible ex vivo determination of right ventricular volume.
• This noninvasive technique is suitable for evaluating right ventricular function in both pediatric and adult populations.