Quantitative angiographic analysis of right ventricular global function in normal incidences and in patients with coronary artery disease.

At present right ventriculography data cannot be accurately estimated owing to the absence of software for quantitative analysis of the right ventricle (RV) volumes and function. The aim of this study was to use existing software for left ventriculography analysis to estimate right ventricular volumes and function in patients without coronary lesions and in those with coronary artery disease (CAD). Thirty-two patients without significant lesions of coronary arteries and 20 patients with CAD were examined with left ventriculography and right atriography. Each examination was performed in 2 projections: 30 degrees right anterior oblique (RAO 30 degrees) and 60 degrees left anterior oblique (LAO 60 degrees) projections. Correction factor (CF) was obtained by finding the ratio between stroke volumes of the left and right ventricles. The mean CF was 0.9243+/-0.2887 for patients without CAD and 0.8758+/-0.2232 for patients with CAD. Such calculation is the easiest and quite accurate method of determining RV volumes and function by using existing software of quantitative angiographic analysis.