Measurement of right and left ventricular ejection fraction in dogs

Summary. Three techniques for measurement of right (RVEF) and two techniques for left (LVEF) ventricular ejection fraction were evaluated in five dogs. RVEF was measured with a first-pass radionuclide technique using erythrocytes labelled in vitro with Technetium-99m methylene disphosphonate (MDP) and compared with RVEF measured with a thermodilution technique. Thermodilution-determined RVEF was compared with RVEF values measured with cine angiocardiography. LVEF was measured with a radionuclide ECG-gated equilibrium technique and compared with cine angiocardiography. Measurements were performed before and during a continuous infusion of dopamine. There was an excellent correlation between RVEF measured with the first-pass and the thermodilution technique, r_s being 0·86, n = 9, P < 0·01. When RVEF measured with the thermodilution technique was compared with cine angiocardiography r_s was 0·75, n = 10, P < 0·01. LVEF measured with the ECG-gated equilibrium technique correlated well with cine angiocardiography (r_s= 0·91, n = 10, P < 0·01).