Identification of Pulmonary Hypertension Caused by Left-Sided Heart Disease (World Health Organization Group 2) Based on Cardiac Chamber Volumes Derived From Chest CT Imaging

Abstract

Evaluations of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) commonly include chest CT imaging. We hypothesized that cardiac chamber volumes calculated from the same CT scans can yield additional information to distinguish PH related to left-sided heart disease (World Health Organization group 2) from other PH subtypes. Patients who had PH confirmed by right heart catheterization and contrast-enhanced chest CT studies were enrolled in this retrospective multicenter study. Cardiac chamber volumes were calculated using automated segmentation software and compared between group 2 and non-group 2 patients with PH. This study included 114 patients with PH, 27 (24%) of whom were classified as group 2 based on their pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. Patients with group 2 PH exhibited significantly larger median left atrial (LA) volumes (118mL vs63mL; P< .001), larger median left ventricular (LV) volumes (90mL vs76mL; P= .02), and smaller median right ventricular (RV) volumes (173mL vs210mL; P= .005) than did non-group 2 patients. On multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, and mean pulmonary arterial pressure, group 2 PH was significantly associated with larger median LA and LV volumes (P< .001 and P=.008, respectively) and decreased volume ratios of RA/LA, RV/LV, and RV/LA (P= .001, P= .004, and P< .001, respectively). Enlarged LA volumes demonstrated a high discriminatory ability for group 2 PH (area under the curve, 0.92; 95%CI, 0.870-0.968). Volumetric analysis of the cardiac chambers from nongated chest CT scans, particularly with findings of an enlarged left atrium, exhibited high discriminatory ability for identifying patients with PH due to left-sided heart disease.