Analysis of ventricular function by CT

J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr. 2015 Jan-Feb;9(1):1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jcct.2014.11.007. Epub 2014 Nov 26.

Abstract

The assessment of ventricular function, cardiac chamber dimensions, and ventricular mass is fundamental for clinical diagnosis, risk assessment, therapeutic decisions, and prognosis in patients with cardiac disease. Although cardiac CT is a noninvasive imaging technique often used for the assessment of coronary artery disease, it can also be used to obtain important data about left and right ventricular function and morphology. In this review, we will discuss the clinical indications for the use of cardiac CT for ventricular analysis, review the evidence on the assessment of ventricular function compared with existing imaging modalities such cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography, provide a typical cardiac CT protocol for image acquisition and postprocessing for ventricular analysis, and provide step-by-step instructions to acquire multiplanar cardiac views for ventricular assessment from the standard axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. Furthermore, both qualitative and quantitative assessments of ventricular function as well as sample reporting are detailed.

Keywords: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia; Computed tomography; Ejection fraction; Left ventricular mass; Ventricular function; Wall motion abnormality.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Humans
  • Patient Positioning / methods*
  • Radiographic Image Enhancement / methods*
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Stroke Volume*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging*