Automatic edge detection by a dedicated computer system to measure left ventricular mass from M mode echo recordings

To improve the standardisation and reproductibility of echocardiographic le ft ventricular mass (LVM) measurements we developed a specific software for automated measurements of LV diameter (EDD) and wall thickness (ST&PWT) fr om M made recordings on SVHS videotapes using a dedicated computer system l o 3.3 (loDP, Paris, France). Images are digitalised into 640 x 580 pixels w ith 256 grey levels. the algorithm computes the averages grey-level over an area of 10 pixels width based on the QRS an ECG and the profile obtained i s analysed in order to estimate the position of wall interfaces with 2 choi ces: PENN or ASE conventions. We compared IB results performed twice at 1 w eek interval (lo 1&2) to conventional (Man) measurement (PENN convention) b y a trained echocardiographist in SO echos performed in hypertensives. Resu lts are mean +/- SD. no significant difference was found between IB 3.3 and Man measurements with closed correlations. the reproductibility of the mea surements is significatively improved by the automated procedure as well as the time to recover the results.