Determination of left ventricular heart volume by fast MRI in breath-hold technique: How different are quantitative ventricular angiography, quantitative MRI, and visual echocardiography? Goal

Goal: Comparison of fast MRI, echocardiography (Echo), and ventricular angi ography (Cath) in the assessment of left ventricular global function. Metho ds: Fast MRI in short axis plane, biplane Cath, and 2D Echo were performed in 62 patients [35 coronary artery diseases, 16 acquired valvular diseases (VD), 9 dilated cardiomyopathies (DCM), 1 congenital heart disease and 1 he art transplantation]. Enddiastolic (EDV), endsystolic (ESV), stroke volumes (SV), cardiac output (CO), and ejection fraction (EF) were compared in MRI and Cath. EF was visually estimated in 2D Echo by an experienced observer. Results: In comparison to MRI, Cath overestimated EF by 8.4%, and Echo und erestimated EF by 5.6%. The limits of agreement between MRI and Cath in EF were +/-23.8%, between MRI and Echo +/-18%, and between Echo and Cath +/-19 .4%. Significant differences were found between Cath and MRI in EDV, SV, an d CO, but not for ESV. The best agreement in EF was found in the group with DCM, the worst in the group with VD. Conclusion: Important systemic and ra ndom errors were found in the comparison of MRI, Echo, and Cath. For therap y decision and follow-up, the methods should not be exchanged unscrupulousl y.