[Intracavitary and parietal cardiac measurement with nuclear magnetic resonance: comparison with echocardiography in healthy volunteers].

For quantitative evaluation of cardiac dimensions by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), we compared the values obtained by ECG gated NMR with those obtained by two-dimensional echocardiography (2D-echo) in 18 adult healthy volunteers aged 20-40 years (mean 31.6 +/- 5.8). NMR was performed using a 2 T super-conducting magnet operating at 0.5 T with a radiofrequency impulse of 21 MHz. Spin-echo pulse sequences with echo-delay times (TEs) of 30-45 msec were used for data acquisition. The interpulse interval was obtained from the R-R interval on the ECG. Slice thickness was set at 1 cm. To obtain planes oriented along the long axis of the left ventricle similar to 2D-echo, paraxial planes were obtained by double angulation. No significant differences of mean values obtained by NMR and 2D-echo were observed. Regression coefficients were not statistically different from 1 for any of the structures measured: left atrium (y = 1.106x), aorta (y = 1.077x), left ventricle (y = 0.66x), interventricular septum (y = x 1.009x), postero-lateral wall of the left ventricle (y = 1.133x), right ventricle (y = 1.093x). However high coefficients of variation were found for measurement of postero lateral wall (79.5) and interventricular septum (41.4) thicknesses; potential causative factors are discussed.