Two-dimensional echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular volume in children with congenital heart disease.

The ability of 2-dimensional echocardiography to measure right ventricular (RV) volume and ejection fraction was assessed in 22 children with congenital heart disease. From the apical 4 chambers 2-dimensional echocardiographic image, the long-axis length of the right ventricle was measured and the area planimetered. On the anteroposterior and lateral cineangiocardiographic planes, the right ventricle was separated into 2 parts: RV sinus and outflow tract. The longest length, inflow tract length, and area of the sinus were measured from biplane cineangiographic views. The echographic long-axis length correlated well with the longest length of the RV sinus measured from both anteroposterior and lateral cineangiographic views at both end-systole and end-diastole. Moreover, the echographic area correlated well with the sinus area obtained from both cineangiographic views. From these regression analyses, the echographic long axis length and area were corrected to the angiographic longest length and area of the sinus. The new corrected echographic longest length and area were applied to 3 formulas (2 biplane and 1 uniplane) to calculate the sinus volume of the right ventricle. Total RV volume was then derived from the sinus volume. RV volumes and ejection fraction determined by 2-dimensional echocardiography were compared with those obtained from biplane cineangiography using Simpson's rule method. All formulas tested predicted RV volumes and ejection fraction with equal accuracy. Thus, 2-dimensional echocardiography can assess RV volume and ejection fraction in children with congenital heart disease.