EVALUATION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR MASS - COMPARISON OF ULTRAFAST COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY, MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING, AND CONTRAST LEFT VENTRICULOGRAPHY

We measured and compared left ventricular mass in 20 patients by ultra fast computed tomography (UFCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and contrast left ventriculography (LVG). Left ventricular mass was calcu lated by UFCT and MRI in two ways: (1) excluding papillary muscles and trabeculae (LV mass), and (2) including papillary muscles and trabecu lae (LV mass + PM&T) by Simpson's method. Left ventricular mass exclud ing papillary muscles and trabeculae (LV mass) in LVG was calculated b y Rackley's method by biplane angiocardiography. LV mass was significa ntly larger in LVG than in MRI and UFCT (p < 0.01). Although LV mass w as significantly larger in MRI than in UFCT (p < 0.01), there was no s ignificant difference in LV mass + PM&T between UFCT and MRI. Interobs erver and intraobserver variability showed good correlation of coeffic ient in both UFCT and MRI. We therefore conclude that left ventricular mass is best measured by including papillary muscles and trabeculae b y Simpson's method in UFCT or MRI.