[2-dimensional echocardiographic analysis of the volume and function of the right ventricle in the apical and subcostal 4 chamber image].

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional echocardiography in the evaluation of RV dimensions and function, biplane angiography of the right ventricle and 2-D echo was performed in 60 consecutive patients and analyzed by two independent investigators. In 42 of 60 patients (group A) the RV could be visualized in the rotated apical 4 chamber view and in 18 patients in the subcostal 4 chamber view with good quality, which made it possible to define the right ventricular endocardium in the real-time proceeding. In 20 of these 42 patients the RV could be registered in the apical 4 chamber view with complete definition of the endocardium also in the stop frame (group B). Quantitative analysis was performed in the end-diastolic and end-systolic stop frame, using the area-length method. The correlation of echocardiography and angiography for the end-diastolic volumes was poor in group A (r = 0.62) and superior in group B (r = 0.73). The correlation coefficient for end-systolic volumes was r = 0.70 in group A and r = 0.92 in group B. End-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were systematically underestimated by echocardiography. RV ejection fraction did not correlate between both methods. The subcostal 4 chamber view was not sufficient in determining RV volumes and function. The results demonstrate that the right ventricle can be visualized in 70% of patients with sufficient quality. RV dimensions and volumes can be determined with high accuracy in these patients.