Evaluation of right ventricular volume and mass using retrospective ECG-gated cardiac multidetector computed tomography: comparison with first-pass radionuclide angiography

Eur Radiol. 2005 Sep;15(9):1987-93. doi: 10.1007/s00330-005-2716-y. Epub 2005 Mar 18.

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the right ventricular (RV) volume and mass using cardiac multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and to compare the cardiac MDCT results with those from first-pass radionuclide angiography (FPRA). Twenty patients were evaluated for the RV end-diastolic volume (RVEDV), the RV end-systolic volume (RVESV), the RV ejection fraction (RVEF), and RV mass using cardiac MDCT with a two-phase reconstruction method based on ECG. The end-diastolic phase was reconstructed at the starting point of the QRS complex on ECG, and the end-systolic phase was reconstructed at the halfway point of the ascending T-wave on ECG. The RV mass was measured for the end-systole. The RVEF was also obtained by FPRA. The mean RVEF (47+/-7%) measured by cardiac MDCT was well correlated with that (44+/-6%) measured by FPRA (r=0.854). A significant difference in the mean RVEF was found between cardiac MDCT and FPRA (p=0.001), with an overestimation of 2.9+/-5.3% by cardiac MDCT versus FPRA. The interobserver variability was 4.4% for the RVEDV, 6.8% for the RVESV, and 7.9% for the RV mass, respectively. Cardiac MDCT is relatively simple and allows the RV volume and mass to be assessed, and the RVEF obtained by cardiac MDCT correlates well with that measured by FPRA.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cardiac Volume / physiology*
  • Coronary Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Electrocardiography*
  • Erythrocytes
  • Female
  • Heart Ventricles / anatomy & histology
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Observer Variation
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m
  • Stroke Volume / physiology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*
  • Ventricular Function*
  • Ventricular Function, Right / physiology
  • Ventriculography, First-Pass*

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m