This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ishii, M. Articles by Kato, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ishii, M. Articles by Kato, H. Related Collections Echocardiography

(Circulation. 2001;103:664.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Clinical Investigation and Reports

Quantitative Assessment of Severity of Ventricular Septal Defect by Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Color Doppler–Imaged Vena Contracta and Flow Convergence Region

Masahiro Ishii, MD; Kanoko Hashino, MD; Genjyu Eto, MD; Takahiro Tsutsumi, MD; Wakako Himeno, MD; Yoko Sugahara, MD; Hiromi Muta, MD; Jun Furui, MD; Teiji Akagi, MD; Yuhei Ito, MD; Hirohisa Kato, MD

From the Department of Pediatrics and the Cardiovascular Research Institute, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.

Correspondence to Masahiro Ishii, MD, Kurume University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume 830, Japan. E-mail: masaishi{at}med.kurume-u.ac.jp

Background—The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and potential value of the computer-controlled, 3D, echocardiographic reconstruction of the color Doppler–imaged vena contracta (CDVC) and the flow convergence (FC) region as a means of accurately and quantitatively estimating the severity of a ventricular septal defect (VSD).

Methods and Results—We performed a 3D reconstruction of the CDVC and the FC region in 19 patients with an isolated VSD using an ultrasound system interfaced with a Tomtec computer. The variable asymmetric geometry of the CDVC and the FC region could be 3D-visualized in all patients. The 3D-measured areas of CDVC correlated well with volumetric measurements of the severity of VSD (r=0.97, P<0.001). Regression analysis between the shunt flow rate (calculated from the product of the area of CDVC and the continuous Doppler–derived velocity time integral) and the corresponding reference results (calculated by cardiac catheterization) demonstrated a close correlation (r=0.95, P<0.001). There was also a good correlation between shunt flow rates calculated using the conventional 2D, 1-axis measurement of the FC isovelocity surface area with the hemispheric assumption (r=0.95, P<0.001); shunt flow rates calculated using 3D, 3-axis measurements of the FC region (r=0.97, P<0.01); and reference results by cardiac catheterization. However, the 2D method substantially underestimated the actual shunt flow rate.

Conclusions—The 3D reconstruction of the CDVC and the FC region may aid in quantifying the severity of VSD.

Key Words: defects • imaging • blood flow • echocardiography

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. S. Minette and D. J. Sahn Ventricular Septal Defects Circulation, November 14, 2006; 114(20): 2190 - 2197. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. G. DeGroff Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Color Doppler-Imaged Flow Convergence Region: Limitations Circulation, November 13, 2001; 104 (20): e106 - e106. [Full Text] [PDF]