Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Heart Chamber Size and Function with Fully Automated Quantification Software in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Kyoko Otani; Akemi Nakazono; Ivan S Salgo; Roberto M Lang; Masaaki Takeuchi

doi:10.1016/j.echo.2016.06.010

Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Heart Chamber Size and Function with Fully Automated Quantification Software in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2016 Oct;29(10):955-965. doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2016.06.010. Epub 2016 Jul 28.

Authors

Kyoko Otani¹, Akemi Nakazono¹, Ivan S Salgo², Roberto M Lang³, Masaaki Takeuchi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
² Philips Healthcare, Andover, Massachusetts.
³ University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
⁴ Department of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan. Electronic address: takeuchi@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp.

PMID: 27477865
DOI: 10.1016/j.echo.2016.06.010

Abstract

Background: Echocardiographic determination of left heart chamber volumetric parameters by using manual tracings during multiple beats is tedious in atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of fully automated left chamber quantification software with single-beat three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic data sets in patients with AF.

Methods: Single-beat full-volume three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic data sets were prospectively acquired during consecutive multiple cardiac beats (≥10 beats) in 88 patients with AF. In protocol 1, left ventricular volumes, left ventricular ejection fraction, and maximal left atrial volume were validated using automated quantification against the manual tracing method in identical beats in 10 patients. In protocol 2, automated quantification-derived averaged values from multiple beats were compared with the corresponding values obtained from the indexed beat in all patients.

Results: Excellent correlations of left chamber parameters between automated quantification and the manual method were observed (r = 0.88-0.98) in protocol 1. The time required for the analysis with the automated quantification method (5 min) was significantly less compared with the manual method (27 min) (P < .0001). In protocol 2, there were excellent linear correlations between the averaged left chamber parameters and the corresponding values obtained from the indexed beat (r = 0.94-0.99), and test-retest variability of left chamber parameters was low (3.5%-4.8%).

Conclusions: Three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography with fully automated quantification software is a rapid and reliable way to measure averaged values of left heart chamber parameters during multiple consecutive beats. Thus, it is a potential new approach for left chamber quantification in patients with AF in daily routine practice.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cardiac volume; Echocardiography.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Algorithms
Atrial Fibrillation / complications*
Atrial Fibrillation / diagnostic imaging*
Atrial Fibrillation / pathology
Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / methods*
Female
Humans
Image Enhancement / methods
Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
Machine Learning
Male
Middle Aged
Organ Size
Pattern Recognition, Automated / methods
Reproducibility of Results
Sensitivity and Specificity
Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging*
Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / etiology*
Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / pathology