Intracardiac ultrasound measurement of volumes and ejection fraction in normal, infarcted, and aneurysmal left ventricles using a 10-MHz ultrasound catheter.

Abstract

Intracardiac echocardiography accurately measures LV volumes and global systolic function in both regularly shaped and distorted left ventricles. This technique directly and continuously visualizes circumferential LV endocardium and wall thickness without contrast agents or geometric assumptions for calculation of LV volume. Thus, it should be particularly useful in patients at high risk for contrast-related complications or distorted LV shapes in which geometric assumptions may not be valid.