A new three-dimensional echocardiographic method of right ventricular volume measurement: in vitro validation.

Right ventricular volume is difficult to measure accurately from one or two views because the complexity of right ventricular shape invalidates simplifying geometric assumptions. This article describes a new three-dimensional echocardiographic reconstruction method of right ventricular volume calculation, and reports the results of testing this method in vitro using normal animal hearts and pathologic specimens from infants and children who died with aortic stenosis or hypoplastic left heart. The correlation with reference volumes was excellent for both groups (r = 0.98, n = 25 for the animal data; r = 0.97, n = 15 for the human data). Given the calculated echocardiographic volume (Vc), the reference volume (Vr) was best estimated by the equation Vr = 1.16 Vc for the animal data and Vr = 0.92 Vc for the human data. Three-dimensional echocardiographic measurement of right ventricular volume is an accurate method that deserves further study and application in a clinical setting.