Considerations in the standardization of measurement of left ventricular myocardial mass by two-dimensional echocardiography.

Optimization of two-dimensional determination of left ventricular mass requires minimizing sources of variability. To accomplish this goal, attention must be directed to the technical aspects of image acquisition, selection of a geometric model, and calibration of imaging and quantitation instrumentation. This paper considers the role of each of these factors in developing a strategy for measuring left ventricular mass with a degree of accuracy suitable for both clinical and investigative applications.