[Evaluation of the ejection fraction using 2 simplified echocardiographic methods in patients with ischemic heart...

This study was undertaken to assess the reliability of two simplified echocardiographic methods (Method A and B) in evaluating ejection fraction (E.F.) in patients with left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (WMA). Method A was obtained with a microprocessor that allows the superimposition of a calibrated ellipse to left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic silhouettes; the shape of the ellipse was modified to obtain the best superimposition of the ellipse outline to the endocardium. E.F. was then obtained with the formula: VD-VS/VD where VD and VS were the ellipse volumes at end-diastole and end-systole. In method B E.F. was obtained averaging 3 regional E.F. obtained with a longitudinal axis and 3 different transverse diameters. In a group of 40 patients with WMA and excellent 2D echo images the correlation between echocardiographic and angiographic values was r = 0.76 for method A and r = 0.92 for method B. Method B was also tested in a group of 25 consecutive unselected patients with left ventricular WMA; in this group the correlation with angiographic values of E.F. was r = 0.84.

in patients with WMA method B must be preferred because it is easier to perform and presents a better correlation with angiographic data than method A.