Ejection fraction image: A noninvasive index of regional left ventricular wall motion

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 41; no. 7; pp. 1230 - 1238
• Main Authors: Maddox, Denis E., Holman, B.Leonard, Wynne, Joshua, Idoine, John, Parker, J.Anthony, Uren, Roger, Neill, Jane M., Cohn, Peter F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.1978
• Subjects: Angina Pectoris - diagnosis; Angiocardiography - instrumentation; Angiocardiography - methods; Cardiac Output; Computers; Heart - diagnostic imaging; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Myocardial Contraction; Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; Radionuclide Imaging - instrumentation; Radionuclide Imaging - methods
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-9149(78)90880-9

The clinical value of the ejection fraction image, a computerized radionuclide measurement of regional left ventricular wall motion, was assessed in 34 patients. From gated modified left anterior oblique images of the cardiac blood pool, regional ejection fraction images were created. Left ventricular wall motion was classified with ejection fraction imaging as normal, hypokinetic or akinetic in each of three left ventricular regions. Wall motion was similarly characterized with regional analysis (segmental axis shortening, extent of akinetic segments) of contrast angiograms. Results of ejection fraction imaging were assessed in comparison with angiographic analyses. Seventeen patients had asynergy on contrast ventriculography; the other 17 had normal wall motion. There was agreement between the contrast and radionuclide ventriculograms as to presence of asynergy in 33 of 34 patients. In 92 of 102 (90 percent) left ventricular regions evaluated with both contrast and radionuclide methods, the ejection fraction image and contrast angiogram were in agreement regarding presence or absence of wall motion abnormalities. Of 43 abnormal angiographic wall motion descriptions in 35 ventricular regions (8 regions contained both hypokinetic and akinetic segments), 35 (81 percent) were similarly identified with the ejection fraction image. These results suggest that the ejection fraction image is a sensitive indicator of regional left ventricular wall motion.