Assessment of left ventricular parameters using 16-MDCT and new software for endocardial and epicardial border delineation

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to quantify left ventricular function and mass derived from retrospectively ECG-gated 16-MDCT coronary angiography data sets using a new analysis software based on automatic contour detection in comparison to corresponding standard of reference measurements acquired with MRI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Multiplanar reformations in the short-axis orientation were calculated from axial contrast-enhanced CT images in 18 patients (men, 15; women, three; age range, 38-70 years; mean, 57.4 ± 10.2 [SD] years) who were referred for CT coronary angiography. End-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), ejection fraction (EF), and left ventricular mass (LVM) were analyzed with a recently developed imaging software using an automated contour detection algorithm of left ventricular endo- and epicardial contours and by manual tracing. The data were compared with similar measurements on MRI as the standard of reference. RESULTS. EDV, ESV, EF, and LVM derived from an automated contour detection algorithm were not statistically significantly different from manual tracing (CT_auto vs CT _manual: EDV = 137.1 ± 45.7 mL vs 134.2 ± 39.9 mL, ESV = 58.8 ± 34.2 mL vs 58.1 ± 30.1 mL, EF = 59.2% ± 13.7% vs 58.1% ± 12.0%, LVM = 130.9 ± 29.1 g vs 133.7 ± 33.2 g; p > 0.05). However, EDV (118.7 ± 43.6 mL), ESV (50.1 ± 33.5 mL), and LVM (142.8 ± 38.4 g) as calculated on MR data sets were statistically significantly different from those calculated on CT (p < 0.05), whereas MRI-based EF (59.9% ± 14.4%) did not differ statistically significantly from those based on both CT algorithms (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION. Automatic and manual analysis of data acquired during CT coronary angiography using a 16-MDCT scanner allows a reliable assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction and a rough estimation of left ventricular volumes and mass.