Ventricular mass index using magnetic resonance imaging accurately estimates pulmonary artery pressure

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 1519 - 1524
• Main Authors: Saba, T.S, Foster, J, Cockburn, M, Cowan, M, Peacock, A.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Eur Respiratory Soc 01.12.2002; Maney
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; Case-Control Studies; Echocardiography, Doppler; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary - diagnosis; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Ventricular Function, Right - physiology; Human; Calculated ventricular mass index Doppler echocardiography magnetic resonance imaging noninvasive pulmonary arterial hypertension; Respiratory disease; Cardiovascular disease; Medical imagery; Exploration; Cardiac index; Heart ventricle; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Pulmonary hypertension
• DOI: 10.1183/09031936.02.00014602
• ISSN: 0903-1936

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide accurate anatomical measurements of the cardiac ventricles. This study investigated whether a calculated ventricular mass index (VMI) would provide an accurate means of estimating pulmonary artery pressure noninvasively, and compared the results with conventional Doppler echocardiography and invasive measurement. A total of 26 subjects referred for investigation of pulmonary hypertension were studied by MRI and echocardiography within 2 weeks of cardiac catheterisation. The correlations for mean pulmonary artery pressure were as follows: VMI (ratio of right ventricular mass over left ventricular mass) r=0.81; pulmonary artery systolic pressure (echocardiography) r=0.77. The confidence intervals for the VMI were narrower than for echocardiography. Sensitivity and specificity for pulmonary hypertension were 84 and 71% respectively for the VMI compared with 89 and 57% for echocardiography. The calculated ventricular mass index provides an accurate and practical means of estimating pulmonary artery pressure noninvasively in pulmonary hypertension and may provide a more accurate estimate than Doppler echocardiography. This may be because it reflects the right ventricular response to sustained pulmonary hypertension over a long period and is not influenced by short-term physiological variables affecting echocardiography, such as heart rate, posture, hydration status and oxygen supplementation.