Assessment of global left ventricular functional parameters: analysis of every second short-axis Magnetic Resonance Imaging slices is as accurate as analysis of consecutive slices

The purpose of this study was to assess whether accurate global left-ventricular (LV) functional parameters can be obtained by analyzing every second short-axis magnetic resonance imaging cine series instead of consecutive slices, in order to reduce post-processing time. Forty patients, were scanned on a 1.5 T MRI-system (Magnetom Sonata, Siemens Medical Systems, Erlangen, Germany) using a steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequence. A stack of short-axis cine series from above the mitral valve through the apex was acquired. Post-processing was started at the most basal slice of the left ventricle, in which at least 50% of the circumference was myocardium. End-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF) and LV mass (LVM), were calculated. Data analysis was repeated, but now only every second slice was analyzed. Bland–Altman analysis showed slightly lower values for all LV parameters when only every second slice was analyzed, ranging from 1.7% difference for EF (limits of agreement −3.5 to 5.0) to 4.6% for SV (limits of agreement −7.2 to 15.0). Analysis of every second slice for quantification of global LV function is time-saving and as accurate as analysis of consecutive slices.