Non-invasive measurement of stroke volume and left ventricular ejection fraction

The stroke volume (SV) was determined by first passage radionuclide cardiography and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by multigated radionuclide cardiography in 20 patients with ischemic heart disease. The results were evaluated against those obtained by the invasive dye dilution or thermodilution and left ventricular cardioangiographic techniques. In a paired comparison the mean difference between the invasive and radionuclide SV was -1 ml (SED 3.1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.83 (p < 0.01). Radionuclide LVEF values also correlated well with cardioangiographic measurements, r = 0.93 (p < 0.001). LVEF determined by multigated radionuclide cardiography was, however, significantly lower than when measured by cardioangiography, the mean difference being 6% (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that radionuclide determinations of SV and LVEF are reliable. The discrepancy between the non-invasive and invasive LVEF values raises the question, whether LVEF is overestimated by cardioangiography or underestimated by radionuclide cardiography. (orig.)