Comparison of Left and Right Ventricular Volume and Cardiac Output by MRI and Echocardiography

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Ventricular volume and cardiac output are very important to evaluate cardiac fuction. Cine MRI has been found to a feasible technique in evaluating cardiac anatomy and cardiovascular function in a variety of cardiac disease. Measurement of left ventricular volume by cine MRI was closely correlated with the result by echocardiography or cine angiography. The purpose of this study is to compare the left and right ventricular function and cardiac output by cine MRI with the data obtained by echocardiography to varify the utility of the cine MRI in assessment of cardiac function in newborns. METHODS: Ventricular volume and cardiac output were measurd by MRI on 51 newborns and were compared with those measured by two dimensional echocardiography on the same day. RESULTS: 1) Values for left ventricular volumes and cardiac output obtained with cine MRI correlated well with those obtained with echocardiography (left ventricular end-diastolic volume, r=0.953 ; left ventricular end-systolic volume, r=0.819 ; left ventricular cardiac output, r=0.920). 2) The correlation of right ventricular volumes or cardiac output by both two techniques was not so good as for the left ventricle, but showed satisfactory correlation (right ventricular end-diastolic volume, r=0.898 ; right ventricular end-systolic volume, r= 0.710 ; right ventricular cardiac output, r=0.650). CONCLUSIONS: MRI gives reliable values for the left and right ventricular volumes and cardiac output in newborn in addition to provide a superior cardiac antomy.