Imaging Left Ventricular Function
Left ventricular function is an important prognosic factor in the management of congenital heart diseases.
The measurement and assessment of left ventricular function allows you to determine:
- If pre-operative function is a contra-indication for surgery
- If there is a deterioration in ventricular function with time
- When should an incompetent aortic valve be replaced
The LV ejection fraction is calculated using this formula:
Image: The multigated analysis (MUGA) study shows images of blood pool within the left ventricle (thin arrow). The study allows assessment of left ventricular volume which is proportional to the concentration of the radioactivity in the left ventricle. Regions of interest are drawn around the left ventricle in systole (thick arrow head) and in diastole (thin arrow head) and in the background (long arrow)
