A method for volume estimation by two-dimensional echocardiography: examination with excised animal left ventricles.

Applicability of a newly developed volume estimation method was examined with excised left ventricles of pigs and dogs. Serial oblique-sectional images of a left ventricle were recorded with a two-dimensional echocardiograph. The probe of the echocardiograph was fixed at one point and was tilted stepwise. Contours of the left ventricle in the images were traced to put into a computer and volume was calculated. Calculated volume of 19 left ventricles agreed well with true volume in wide range (r = 0.982 for left ventricular myocardium and r = 0.989 for left ventricular cavity).