Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Volume Calculations Using Three-Dimensional Echocardiography

• Author / Creator

  Wood, Peter William

• In a review encompassing 18 single- and multi-centre studies comparing echocardiography with magnetic resonance imaging, it was determined that three-dimensional echocardiography has greatly improved the calculation of left ventricular (LV) volumes. However, there is still a systematic underestimation of volume measurements, and experimental studies have yet to be performed. This project sought to assess the accuracy of current semi-automatic contour finding algorithms using an anatomically correct dynamic heart phantom. The contour algorithm resulted in an underestimation of up to 31% of the true volume. With manual correction this reduced to 21%. None of the semi-automatic contours followed completely the true ventricular border. The manual method of discs (MOD) technique was proposed as a method which may improve accuracy in patients with asymmetric ventricles; the largest difference was 9% of the true volume. Therefore, while currently available LV contouring algorithms further underestimate volumes in asymmetrical chambers, MOD is an accurate alternative.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Ejection fraction
  • Echocardiography
  • Left ventricular function
  • 3D echocardiography
  • LV volumes
  • LV normal values

• Graduation date

  Spring 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R35T3G755

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.