Left ventricular mass and volume: Fast calculation with guide-point modeling on MR images

The authors describe a fast method for calculating left ventricle (LV) mass and volumes from multiplanar magnetic resonance (MR) images. Mathematic models were fitted to a small number of user-selected guide points in 15 healthy volunteers, 13 patients after myocardial infarction, and a canine model of mitral regurgitation in eight dogs. Errors between model and manual contours were small (LV mass, 1.8 g +/- 4.9 [mean +/- SD]; end-diastolic volume, 2.2 mL +/- 4.6; end-systolic volume, 2.3 mL +/- 3.8). : Estimates of global function could be obtained in 6 minutes, a time saving of 5-10 times over estimates with manual contouring.