Comparison of four echocardiographic methods to determine left atrial size in dogs

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparison of four echocardiographic methods to determine left atrial size in dogs

AU - Höllmer, Miriam

AU - Willesen, Jakob

AU - Tolver, Anders

AU - Koch, Jørgen

N1 - Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PY - 2016/6/1

Y1 - 2016/6/1

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To compare a linear and three volume-based two-dimensional echocardiographic methods for measuring LA size: left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao ratio), biplane area-length, biplane modified Simpson and monoplane area-length.ANIMALS: One hundred seventy-six client-owned dogs of different breeds, 88 healthy dogs and 88 dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease of different disease severity.METHODS: The left apical four- and two-chamber views were used to measure LA volumes. The right parasternal short-axis view at the level of the heart base was used to measure the LA/Ao ratio.RESULTS: The biplane area-length method yielded 2.8% larger values than those of the biplane modified Simpson method, consistent across the full range of LA volumes. The monoplane area-length method derived on average 5.8% larger values of LA volume than the biplane area-length method. The difference between these two methods was most pronounced at larger LA volumes. The relation between the LA/Ao ratio and LA volume was curvilinear and with increasing LA size these two methods derived very dissimilar values.CONCLUSIONS: All methods showed good feasibility and reproducibility, with the volume-based methods having the most favourable intra- and inter-observer variabilities. The LA/Ao ratio underestimates at higher values of LA size compared to the biplane area-length method. LA volume methods may be superior to the LA/Ao ratio in quantification of LA size. The biplane area-length method and biplane modified Simpson method can be used interchangeably. The monoplane area-length measurement may be used as a quick and reliable method for assessment of LA size in clinical practice.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To compare a linear and three volume-based two-dimensional echocardiographic methods for measuring LA size: left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao ratio), biplane area-length, biplane modified Simpson and monoplane area-length.ANIMALS: One hundred seventy-six client-owned dogs of different breeds, 88 healthy dogs and 88 dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease of different disease severity.METHODS: The left apical four- and two-chamber views were used to measure LA volumes. The right parasternal short-axis view at the level of the heart base was used to measure the LA/Ao ratio.RESULTS: The biplane area-length method yielded 2.8% larger values than those of the biplane modified Simpson method, consistent across the full range of LA volumes. The monoplane area-length method derived on average 5.8% larger values of LA volume than the biplane area-length method. The difference between these two methods was most pronounced at larger LA volumes. The relation between the LA/Ao ratio and LA volume was curvilinear and with increasing LA size these two methods derived very dissimilar values.CONCLUSIONS: All methods showed good feasibility and reproducibility, with the volume-based methods having the most favourable intra- and inter-observer variabilities. The LA/Ao ratio underestimates at higher values of LA size compared to the biplane area-length method. LA volume methods may be superior to the LA/Ao ratio in quantification of LA size. The biplane area-length method and biplane modified Simpson method can be used interchangeably. The monoplane area-length measurement may be used as a quick and reliable method for assessment of LA size in clinical practice.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jvc.2016.02.001

DO - 10.1016/j.jvc.2016.02.001

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27009978

SN - 1760-2734

VL - 18

SP - 137

EP - 145

JO - Journal of Veterinary Cardiology

JF - Journal of Veterinary Cardiology

IS - 2

ER -