Use of a personal computer in the measurement, calculation, and reporting of noninvasive cardiac data

Echocardiography, phonocardiography, and carotid pulse tracings enable the cardiologist to measure and calculate over 40 different noninvasive parameters including cardiac chamber size, indices of left ventricular performance, and estimates of mean left atrial pressure. However, the entire procedure requires meticulous measurements and time-consuming calculations, particularly when some of the data must be corrected for heart rate or body size. Because of this, many busy noninvasive cardiac laboratories routinely calculate only a few select parameters in most patients. To solve this problem, we used a personal computer system and developed a program that allows rapid, accurate measurement, calculation, display, reporting, magnetic storage, and retrieval of noninvasive cardiac data. The computer is not dedicated to these tasks alone and with appropriate software can also be used for other clinical, educational, office management, and research purposes.