The application value of three‐dimensional echocardiographic automated quantification technique for assessing left heart chamber volumes and function / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of three‐dimensional echocardiographic( 3DE) automated quantification technique for assessment of left heart chamber volumes and function in consecutive patients . Methods One hundred and fifty consecutive patients underwent 3DE were enrolled in the cross‐sectional study . According to image quality , the patients were divided into satisfactory group ( n ＝ 102 ) and unsatisfactory group ( n ＝ 33 ) . T he accuracy and reproducibility of automated 3DE for measuring left ventricular end‐diastolic volume ( LVEDV ) , left ventricular end‐systolicvolume ( LVESV ) ,left atrial volume ( LAV ) and left ventricular ejection fraction ( LVEF ) were evaluated by the traditional manual 3DE as the relative standard . Among those with satisfactory image quality ,the effects of cardiac cycle selection on automatic 3DE were analyzed . In addition ,according to LVEDV index and LAV index ,the patients were grouped as enlargement group and normal group ,and the significance of editing the endocardial boundaries for both groups were analyzed . Results ① One hundred and thirty‐five patients were successfully analyzed by the automated 3DE . T he inter‐technique comparisons showed good correlations ( r‐valuesLVEDV 0 .90 ,LVESV 0 .87 ,LAV 0 .86 ,LVEF 0 .67 ;all P ＜ 0 .01 ) and small biases( LVEDV 11 .9 ml ,LVESV 6 .4 ml ,LAV 9 .0 ml ,LVEF －0 .4% ) for all measurements in all patients . ② T he various parameters in satisfactory group had better correlations and consistency than those in the unsatisfactory group( all P ＜0 .05) . ③Between the two different cardiac cycles ,the automated 3DE measurements showed good correlations( r‐valuesEDV 0 .96 ,ESV 0 .96 ,LAV 0 .95 ,LVEF 0 .80 ;all P＜ 0 .01 ) . ④ After optimized boundary of the automated 3DE ,LVEDV ,LVESV increased and LVEF decreased in the left chamber enlargement group( all P ＜0 .05) . ⑤All automated measurements were more reproducible than conventional manual measurements in both intra‐/inter‐observer studies . Conclusions Since automated 3DE is accurate and reproducible for the assessment of left heart chamber volumes and function ,it can be widely used in clinical practice as a feasible and objective ultrasound technique .