Correlation of right ventricular volumes and ejection fraction by 3D echo and cardiac MRI in postoperative tetralogy of Fallot patients with free pulmonary valve regurgitation.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare and correlate the right ventricular volumes and ejection fraction by 3D echo and cardiac MRI in postoperative tetralogy of Fallot patients with free pulmonary valve regurgitation.

METHODS

Twenty-six patients with severe PR secondary to either pulmonary valvotomy or tetralogy of Fallot repair were evaluated using 3D echo and MRI.

RESULTS

The mean end-diastolic volumes (ml/m2) were 161.61 ± 29.31 and 170.16 ± 30.79 (p = 0.03) and the mean end-systolic volumes(ml/m2) 83.74 ± 24.16 and 94.18 ± 24.13 (p = 0.12) on 3D echo and MRI, respectively. The mean RV ejection fractions were 47.90 ± 7.81% on 3D echo and 44.83 ± 8.29% on MRI (r = 0.89, P < .001). Similarly, there were strong correlations of both end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volume on 3D echo and MRI (r = 0.94 and r = 0.74, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Three-dimensional echo was comparable with MRI in determining RV volume and ejection fraction in post operative TOF patients with free pulmonary regurgitation. It will be important to study 3D echo in a larger population of patients with TOF, which will be possible only through multi-centre collaboration.