Automated endocardial border detection and evaluation of left ventricular function from contrast-enhanced images using modified acoustic quantification.

Automated border detection (ABD) techniques have been used for the quantitative assessment of left ventricular (LV) performance but require adequate visualization of the endocardial border to accurately track the blood-tissue interface. We sought to evaluate whether ABD could be used in conjunction with an infusion of echocardiographic contrast to objectively quantify LV systolic performance. Twenty-one subjects had LV volume and ejection fraction (EF) assessed by hand-tracing and prototype ABD software during contrast infusion. The mean hand-traced EF was 45% +/- 16%. Automatic tracking of contrast-enhanced endocardial borders with prototype ABD software was possible in all subjects. This allowed generation of signal averaged LV volume waveforms, from which quantitative LV ejection fraction was obtained. There were no significant differences in LV volumes or EF between contrast-enhanced acoustic quantification and manually traced borders. This technique has the potential of providing objective quantitation of LV volume and function in patients with technically limited echocardiograms.