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An enhanced method for left ventricular volume and ejection fraction by triggered harmonic contrast echocardiography

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Abstract

To elucidate the validity and reproducibility of the use of intravenous echo-contrast agent in the evaluation of left ventricular (LV) performance, we measured LV volume and ejection fraction (EF) in 42 patients with triggered harmonic contrast imaging (THCI), compared with continuous harmonic imaging without contrast agent (CHI) and with cineventriculography (CVG). In 10 of 42 patients, THCI improved LV border delineation which could not be obtained even with CHI. LV end-diastolic, end-systolic volumes and EF by both CHI and THCI correlated well with those by CVG. Although LV volumes are underestimated, THCI lessened the mean differences to about in half, compared with CHI. The observer variabilities obtained using THCI were smaller than those by CHI. These results indicate the validity of LV enhancement and the measurement of EF using THCI. We suggest that this method noninvasively provides more accurate LV systolic function with the acceptable reproducibility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Division, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Keiji Hirooka

  2. Cardiology Division of Medicine, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan

    Yoshio Yasumura, Yuko Tsujita, Akihisa Hanatani, Satoshi Nakatani, Kunio Miyatake & Masakazu Yamagishi

Authors
  1. Keiji Hirooka
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  2. Yoshio Yasumura
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  3. Yuko Tsujita
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  4. Akihisa Hanatani
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  5. Satoshi Nakatani
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  6. Kunio Miyatake
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  7. Masakazu Yamagishi
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Hirooka, K., Yasumura, Y., Tsujita, Y. et al. An enhanced method for left ventricular volume and ejection fraction by triggered harmonic contrast echocardiography. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 17, 253–261 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011607012559

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