[Analysis of interobserver variations in the estimation of myocardial volume, thickness and mass in right anterior oblique monoplanar angiocardiography].

The parameter derived from right anterior oblique angiocardiography (end diastolic and end systolic volumes, stroke volume, ejection fraction, wall thickness and myocardial mass) are used to decide the most appropriate management of cardiac disease. It is important to assess their reliability especially as other clinical data may be underestimated and the objective results may play a prominent role in the decision. Therefore, good quality cinefilms of 31 patients were reinterpreted by three observers (A, B and C); the contours were traced on a Vanguard console with an electromagnetic pet and the data treated automatically by the SNIASS SYSCOMORAN program (Simpson's method, assimilating the left ventricle to an ellipsoid divided into n identical cylinders). The interobserver variability (A and B; A and C; B and C) was good in the assessment of end diastolic volume (R = 0,96; 0,98; 0,99), end systolic volume (R = 0,96; 0,96; 0,98). On the other hand, it was poor in the measurement of wall thickness (R = 0,63; 0,73; 0,69) and myocardial mass (R = 0,85; 0,83; 0,89). In addition, the ejection fraction and end systolic volume were perfectly reproducible from one observer to another whether or not the left ventricle was dilated. End diastolic volumes seemed to be more reproducible in dilated cavities (EDV greater than 104 ml/m2). These results confirm that monoplane RAO cineangiography remains a good method of assessing left ventricular performance.