Experimental study of measuring left ventricular volume by contrast real-time three-dimensional echocardiography

Objective To explore the accuracy of measuring left ventricular volume by contrast real time three dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE). Methods Fifteen healthy mongrel dogs were examined by RT3DE. Left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) and left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV) were measured off line by the software of workstation,and left ventricular stroke volume (SV) was calculated. LVEDV was measured by pre and post contrast RT3DE, two dimensional Simpson's method and area length method were compared with the true drained water volume which served as a reference standard respectively. SV derived from the former methods were compared with that calculated using Doppler method respectively. Results The correlation between LVEDV derived from contrast RT3DE and the results of true drained water volume were better than those of RT3DE, two dimensional Simpson's method and area length method ( r =0.934, 0.920 , 0.846 and 0.768 respectively). Significant difference was not found between contrast RT3DE, RT3DE, two dimensional Simpson method and the true volume ( P 0.05), but between area length method and the true volume ( P 0.05). Conclusion Contrast RT3DE is a more accurate method in measuring left ventricular volume.