Dynamic assessment of right ventricular volumes and function by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography: a comparison study with magnetic resonance imaging in 100 adult patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to validate a novel real-time three-dimensional echocardiographic (RT3DE) analysis tool for the determination of right ventricular volumes and function in unselected adult patients.

METHODS: A total of 100 consecutive adult patients with normal or pathologic right ventricles were enrolled in the study. A dynamic polyhedron model of the right ventricle was generated using dedicated RT3DE software. Volumes and ejection fractions were determined and compared with results obtained on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 88 patients with adequate acquisitions.

RESULTS: End-diastolic, end-systolic, and stroke volumes were slightly lower on RT3DE imaging than on MRI (124.0 +/- 34.4 vs 134.2 +/- 39.2 mL, P < .001; 65.2 +/- 23.5 vs 69.7 +/- 25.5 mL, P = .02; and 58.8 +/- 18.4 vs 64.5 +/- 24.1 mL, P < .01, respectively), while no significant difference was observed for ejection fraction (47.8 +/- 8.5% vs 48.2 +/- 10.8%, P = .57). Correlation coefficients on Bland-Altman analysis were r = 0.84 (mean difference, 10.2 mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], -31.3 to 51.7 mL) for end-diastolic volume, r = 0.83 (mean difference, 4.5 mL; 95% CI, -23.8 to 32.9 mL) for end-systolic volume, r = 0.77 (mean difference, 5.7 mL; 95% CI, -24.6 to 36.0 mL) for stroke volume, and r = 0.72 (mean difference, 0.4%; 95% CI, -14.2% to 15.1%) for ejection fraction.

CONCLUSION: Right ventricular volumes and ejection fractions as assessed using RT3DE imaging compare well with MRI measurements. RT3DE imaging may become a time-saving and cost-saving alternative to MRI for the quantitative assessment of right ventricular size and function.