COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF 3 AUTOMATIC PROGRAMS OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION EVALUATION

The aim of this study was to compare three automatic programs (P1, P2, P3) for evaluating radionuclide left ventricular ejection fraction (L VEF) and to emphasize the clinical consequences. Gated radionuclide ve ntriculography was performed in 73 subjects, 15 of whom were healthy a nd 58 of whom had experienced heart failure. All scintigraphic data we re processed with the three programs. Good inter-observer, intra-obser ver and automatic-manual reproducibility were observed using each of t he three programs. On the other hand, in the normal subjects, the thre e mean normal LVEF values were significantly different from each other (P1=77+/-5%, P2=63+/-7%, P3=68+/-8%; P<0.0001). In the pathological p atients, the values obtained with P2 were significantly different from those obtained using P1 and P3 (P1=32+/-15%, P2=26+/-13%, P3=31+/-13% ; P<0.0001). Moreover, the linear regression studies between the three automatic programs were always significantly different from the ident ity line equation (y=x). This study shows that LVEF criteria for norma lity depend on the program used, and inter-program measurement of LVEF is poorly reproducible. Caution is recommended when comparing data ob tained from different centres (or different computers), either in the follow-up of a given patient or in gathering results from patient grou ps.