Evaluation of left ventricular systolic function by 3D echocardiography: a comparative study with X-ray angiography and radionuclide angiography

Abstract

Objective: the aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular systolic function by 3D ultrasound as compared to with radionuclide and X-ray angiographies. Methods: one hundred and four patients were examinated by 3D ultrasound (3D-US) but only 72 examinations were successful. Thirty patients were investigated by 3D-US, M-mode US or bidimensional (2D) US, and X-ray angiography (group I) and 42 patients were investigated by 3D-US, M-mode, or 2D, and radionuclide angiography (group II). Results: the correlation between ejection fraction (EF) evaluated by 3D-US and reference methods was found to be good and similar for the two groups ( r=0.75; P<10 −4 for group I and r=0.76; P<10 −4 for group II). The correlation between EF calculated by conventional 2D-US and by reference methods was lower ( r=0.60; P=0.04 for group I and r=0.54; P=0.001 for group II). The correlation between EF evaluated by 3D- and 2D-US was modest ( r=0.55; P=0.001 for the whole group). The correlation between 3D-US left ventricle end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) and those evaluated by X-ray angiography was also modest ( r=0.33; NS for EDV and r=0.60; P<10 −4 for ESV). The correlations between EDV and ESV in 3D-US, and those evaluated from radionuclide angiography were fairly good and in the same range ( r=0.76; P<10 −4 and r=0.87; P<10 −4). Conclusion: the 3D-US system using a rotating probe in an apical view is valuable for evaluation of left ventricular systolic function.