Comparison of electron beam computed tomography with magnetic resonance imaging in assessment of right ventricular volumes and function

Intraindividual comparison of right ventricular volumes and function using electron beam computed tomography (EBT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty-seven patients with a known cardiac history were referred for evaluation of ventricular function parameters. The following standardized protocols were used: contrast-enhanced multislice mode EBT and gradient echo sequence MRI. Right ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), and ejection fraction (EF) were calculated using a slice summation method. Interobserver variability was calculated. The correlation between the 2 methods was: r = 0.901 for EDV, r = 0.938 for ESV, r = 0.823 for SV, and r = 0.953 for EF. Electron beam computed tomography overestimated EDV and ESV slightly when compared with MRI (P < 0.05). No significant differences (P > 0.05) were found between SV and EF. Mean values determined by EBT and MRI were as follows: 168.6 +/- 62.3 mL and 153.7 +/- 59.1 mL for EDV, 104.7 +/- 60.4 mL and 95.1 +/- 54.8 mL for ESV, 63.2 +/- 19.3 mL and 58.7 +/- 19.8 mL for SV, and 40.2% +/- 14.1% and 40.2% +/- 13.6% for EF, respectively. Interobserver variability ranged between 1.0% and 3.2%. Electron beam computed tomography shows good agreement with a close correlation and an acceptable interobserver variability for right ventricular volumes and global function, with a small but significant overestimation of EDV and ESV when compared with MRI.