Accurate computer-aided quantification of left ventricular parameters : experience in 1555 cardiac magnetic resonance studies from the Framingham Heart Study

Quantitative analysis of short-axis functional cardiac magnetic resonance images can be performed using automatic contour detection methods. The resulting myocardial contours must be reviewed and possibly corrected, which can be time-consuming, particularly when performed across all cardiac phases. We quantified the impact of manual contour corrections on both analysis time and quantitative measurements obtained from left ventricular short-axis cine images acquired from 1555 participants of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort using computer-aided contour detection methods. The total analysis time for a single case was 7.6 +/- 1.7 min for an average of 221 +/- 36 myocardial contours per participant. This included 4.8 +/- 1.6 min for manual contour correction of 2% of all automatically detected endocardial contours and 8% of all automatically detected epicardial contours. However, the impact of these corrections on global left ventricular parameters was limited, introducing differences of 0.4 +/- 4.1 mL for end-diastolic volume, -0.3 +/- 2.9 mL for end-systolic volume, 0.7 +/- 3.1 mL for stroke volume, and 0.3 +/- 1.8% for ejection fraction. We conclude that left ventricular functional parameters can be obtained under 5 min from short-axis functional cardiac magnetic resonance images using automatic contour detection methods. Manual correction more than doubles analysis time, with minimal impact on left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction. Magn Reson Med, 2012. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.