MEASUREMENT OF VENTRICULAR VOLUMES BY CINE MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGINGIN COMPLEX CONGENITAL HEART-DISEASE WITH MORPHOLOGICALLY ABNORMAL VENTRICLES

This study assessed the validity of cine magnetic resonance imaging (M RI) for measuring right and left ventricular volumes by using Simpson' s rule in children with complex congenital heart disease. Forty-five p atients with complex congenital heart disease (average age 2.6 years) and 10 controls (average age 2.3 years) were evaluated. The whole hear t was encompassed by contiguous transverse sections. Ventricular volum es were calculated by adding luminal areas determined in each section at end diastole and end systole. End-diastolic and end-systolic volume s by MRI in both groups correlated well with those by ventriculography (r > 0.89). Comparison of the ejection fraction in both ventricles in both groups yielded a good correlation between MRI and ventriculograp hy (r > 0.67). MRI technique in both groups had low intraobserver and interobserver variation (< 6%). Cine MRI provides a suitable noninvasi ve means of quantifying ventricular volume in children with complex co ngenital heart disease.