Measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction in myocardial infarction by 2-dimensional echocardiography--comparison with radionuclide angiography

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with 4 different algorithms (biplane and single-plane Simpson's rule and ellipsoid area-length method) was measured by 2-dimensional echocardiography (2 DE) in 42 patients with myocardial infarction (MI), and the results were compared with those with equilibrium radionuclide angiography (ERNA). The correlation coefficients were 0.98 for biplane Simpson's rule (apical 4 and 2 chamber view), 0.96 for biplane area-length method (apical 4 and 2 chamber view), 0.81 for single-plane Simpson's rule (apical 4 chamber view), and 0.77 for single-plane area-length method (apical 4 chamber view). The results indicated that biplane method is superior to single-plane method. Biplane area-length method is an alternative simple method for LVEF measurement in patients with MI.