Shape reconstruction of the left ventricle: Accuracy of limited-plane three-dimensional echocardiography

Objective. To assess the accuracy of left ventricular cavity shape reproduction from 8 spatially related, apical two-dimensional ultrasonographic images. Methods. We scanned 6 dog heart specimens. Left ventricular cavity casts were reconstructed from 48-tomogram (high-density), 8-tomogram (octaplane), and 2-tomogram (low-density biplane) apical data sets. The 48-plane left ventricular cast served as the reference. Spatial shape resolution of 3 mm in radial distance from the rotational axis to the interpolated endocardium was used as the criterion of shape accuracy. Results. The adjusted limits of agreement for the octaplane and biplane left ventricular casts were ±2.31 and ±6.84 mm, respectively. Conclusions. The three-dimensional left ventricular cavity shape can be accurately reproduced by using a low-data density apical octaplane echocardiographic examination.