[Automatic assessment of left ventricular cavity area by the automated contour tracking method]

Measurements of left ventricular cavity area by the manual tracing method from apical four-chamber views were compared with those using the automated contour tracking (ACT) method. Nine consecutive patients in whom clear images were obtained by two-dimensional echocardiography were studied, and left ventricular end-diastolic, end-systolic areas an fractional area changes were calculated using the ACT method. The ACT method slightly underestimated left ventricular cavity areas, but excellent correlations were obtained with left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic areas between the ACT and manual methods (r = 0.99, SEE = 1.5 cm2; r = 0.99, SEE = 1.2 cm2; respectively). Manual tracing fractional area change correlated well with that by the ACT method (r = 0.95, SEE = 3.4%). The ACT method provides accurate estimates of the area of the left ventricular cavity.