Two-dimensional assessment of right ventricular function: An echocardiographic-MRI correlative study

Abstract

Background: While echocardiography is used most frequently to assess right ventricular (RV) function in clinical practice, echocardiography is limited in its ability to provide an accurate measure of RV ejection fraction (RVEF). Hence, quantitative estimation of RV function has proven difficult in clinical practice. Objective: We sought to determine which commonly used echocardiographic measures of RV function were most accurate in comparison with an MRI-derived estimate of RVEF. Methods: We analyzed RV function in 36 patients who had cardiac MRI studies and echocardiograms within a 24 hour period. 2D parameters of RV function - right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC), tricuspid ann..