The Accuracy of Left Ventricular and Left Atrial Volumetry Using 64-Slice Computed Tomography: In Vitro Validation Study With Human Cardiac Cadaveric Casts

Objective We aimed to validate the accuracy of imaging of left atrial and ventricular volumes using cardiac cadaveric silicone casts. Methods Left atrial (n = 14) and ventricular (n = 15) casts were imaged using 64-slice computed tomography (CT). Water displacement (WD) of cardiac casts was used as the gold standard for volume measurements. Results Compared with WD, CT resulted in slightly higher left atrial and ventricular volumes (54 25 vs 56 +/- 26 mL [P = 0.003] and 57 +/- 47 vs 66 +/- 47 mL [P = 0.0001]). Variability between left atrial and ventricular volumes by CT and WD was low (coefficients of variation [CVs], 4% [intraclass correlation coefficient {ICC}, 0.99] and 12% [ICC, 0.97]). Intraobserver variability of CT was low for both the left atrium and the left ventricle (CVs, 1% [ICC, 1.00] and 4% [ICC, 1.00]). Conclusions Cardiac CT is both accurate and reproducible in assessment of left ventricular and atrial chamber volumes.