All issues > Volume 37(10); 1994

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1994;37(10):1340-1349. Published online October 15, 1994.

Right Ventricular Area, Dimension, and Volume Measured by Two-dimensional Echocardiography in Normal Children

I-Seok IS Kang¹, Jung-Yun JY Choi¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

The usefulness of two-dimensional echocardiography to measure the right ventricular volume was assessed in 58 normal children(mean age 5 years and 3 months). From the apical 4-chamber view(A4CV), the subcostal RV sagittal view(SCRVSV), the subcostal right anterior oblique view(SCRAOV), and the subcostal RV coronal view(SCRVCV), the dimensions and areas of the right ventricle were measured. The right ventricular volumes and ejection fractions were calculated form these data by pyramid model and single plane area/length method. We could obtain subcostal right ventricular sagittal view in 98%, apical 4-chamber view in 90%, subcostal right anterior oblique view in 79%, and subcostal right ventricular coronal view in 71% of our children. The areas and dimensions correlated with all growth indices, such as age, height, weight, and body surface area. In general the areas showed higher correlation whth body surface area, and dimensions with height. Correlations of parameters obtained from the subcostal right anterior oblique view and subcostal right ventricular sagittal view with the growth indices were better than those of the subcostal right ventricular coronal view. The calculated right ventricular volume and ejection fraction showed a great varibility depending on the model used. The right ventricular volume calculated by pyramid model correlated better with the growth indices than that by single plane area/length method. The right ventricular volume calculated from the apical 4-chamber view dimension and the subcostal right ventricular sagittal view area by pyramid model is the model which showed the best correlation with growth indices. Right ventricular ejection fraction did not change with any growth indices. Among the right ventricular volumes and ejection fractions by single plane area/ length method, the volume(59.9±29.9 ml/㎡)and ejection fracton(58.7±10.9%) from the subcostal right anterior oblique view were similar to those(51.0±17.3 ml/㎡, 51.3±10.2%) calculated from the apical 4-chamber view dimension and the subcostal right ventricular sagittal view area by pyramid model. The subcostal right anterior oblique view reflects three parts of the right ventricle. Its area and dimension are well correlated with growth indices. Also the right ventricular volume and ejection fraction obtained by single plane area/length method using the subcostal right anterior oblique view correlate with the growth indices. Therefore the subcostal right anterior oblique view is the most valuable single view representing the right ventricle.

Keywords :Right ventricular volume, Children, Echocardiography