[Transthoracic three-dimensional echocardiography for determination of left ventricular mass in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy].

This study was performed to compare left ventricular mass (LVM) measurement by one- (1D), two- (2D) and 3D echocardiography with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). 36 patients with DCM underwent imaging by conventional 1D and 2D echocardiography as well as transthoracic 3D echocardiographic data acquisition. Also patients were imaged with cardiac MRI. LVM was determined. There was no significant correlation (r = 0.42, P > 0.05) for measuring LVM between 1D echocardiography and MRI in patients with DCM. A significant correlation was obtained between 2D echocardiography and MRI (r = 0.64, P < 0.01) and between 3D and MRI (r = 0.78, P < 0.01) in determination of LVM. Compared with 1D and 2D echocardiography, the 3D analysis achieved a significantly higher agreement with the MRI results (1D; 399.2 g, 2D: 285.9 g, 3D: 172.6 g versus MRI: 199.1 g). Interobserver variability was 5.1% for measuring LVM by 3D echocardiography. These results suggest that LVM of patients with DCM can be accurately determined by transthoracic 3D echocardiography and this method could be used in clinical practice.