Radiology, Vol 119, 193-198, Copyright © 1976 by Radiological Society of North America
Estimation of cardiac chamber size by routine chest radiography and echocardiography
PL Cooperberg, J Chahlauoi, N Khan, M O'Donovan and F Winsberg
The size of the left atrium and both ventricles was estimated by routine
chest radiography and compared to echocardiographic single- chamber
measurements. Left atrial size correlated well, but echocardiography
appeared to be considerably more sensitive in detecting enlargement.
Estimates of left ventricular size by radiography and echocardiography
showed considerable discrepancy, since the single-dimension
echocardiographic technique does not reflect lateral or inferior
enlargement, which is readily visible on the radiography; however,
ultrasound can distinguish left ventricular hypertrophy from dilatation.
Right ventricular size cannot be assessed accurately using the
single-diameter technique. The authors suggest that a combination of both
techniques would be more accurate than either modality alone and that
two-dimensional cardiac studies should prove more reliable than the
single-diameter method.
