Regurgitant jet evaluation using three-dimensional echocardiography and magnetic resonance

Background Three-dimensional assessment of regurgitant jet volume is the prerequisite for stratifying valve insufficiency. However, systematic comparison of three-dimensional methods is lacking. Therefore, we evaluated magnetic resonance imaging and three-dimensional echocardiography experimentally. Methods An insufficiency chamber (22 × 18.5 × 27 cm; ostia 10, 16, and 20 mm; regurgitant volumes 2.3 to 25 mL) within experimental circulation (BioMedicus pump, tubes, pulsatile flow 0.2 to 1.9 L/min) was used for three-dimensional echocardiography (HP Sonos 2500) and magnetic resonance imaging (Siemens Magnetom Vision). Doppler flowmeter served as a gold standard. Segmentation used thresholding and surface integration of velocity vectors. Jet volume was evaluated qualitatively by polynom fitting. Results Jet volume calculated by magnetic resonance (r = 0.99, p< 0.0001) and by echocardiography (r = 0.99, p< 0.0001) correlated identically to the gold standard. Jet volume derived from imaging correlated with each other by r = 0.98 (p< 0.0001). Polynom fits indicated a more paraboloid shape of magnetic resonance jet volume. Conclusions Experimentally, three-dimensional echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging possess identical accuracy for determining regurgitant jet volume. Magnetic resonance imaging seems to provide qualitatively better image data for three-dimensional reconstruction.