Accuracy of right ventricular volume and function assessed with cardiovascular magnetic resonance: comparison with echocardiographic parameters

Abstract

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential imaging method used to assess patients with diseases of the left and right ventricles. Cardiac MRI is the gold standard for right ventricular measurements; however, the most suitable method for volumetric analysis of the right ventricle remains controversial.

Aims: To compare the accuracy of the short axis and four-chamber view segmentation methods in assessing the right ventricle in cardiac MRI studies, to determine the reproducibility of cardiac MR measurements, and to correlate cardiac MR methods with frequently used echocardiographic methods.

Methods: Eighty patients with different clinical indications were studied using a 1.5-Tesla resonance magnetic unit. In all patients, the end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and right ventricle ejection fraction were measured in the short axis and four-chamber views. Twenty-three patients also underwent echocardiography on the same day the cardiac MRI was completed.

Results: Cardiac MRI revealed no statistically significant differences in the volume or function of the right ventricle, calculated by the two segmentation methods (p > 0.05). The correlation was excellent between both planes in the assessment of the volume (concordance correlation coefficient [CCC] = 0.97) and the ejection fraction (CCC = 0.90). The correlation was low between the right ventricular ejection fraction and the echocardiographic methods (CCC = 0.02 and CCC = 0.01).

Conclusion: Right ventricular function in normal ventricles and in dilated ventricles was appropriately measured by cardiac MRI using either of the two segmentation methods. Both methods were highly accurate. However, the correlation with echocardiographic methods was rather poor.

Keywords: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; Cardiac volume; Echocardiography; Right ventricle; Ventricular function.