Does a semiautomated contour detection algorithm improve analysis time while maintaining accuracy compared to manual analysis for left ventricular volume parameters in MRI?
Semiautomated contour detection for cardiovascular MRI significantly reduces analysis time while maintaining high accuracy and precision for global left ventricular function parameters.
PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to evaluate a newly developed semiautomated contour detection algorithm for the quantitative analysis of cardiovascular MRI. METHOD: Left ventricular function parameters derived from automatically detected endocardial and epicardial contours were compared with results derived from manually traced contours in short-axis multislice GRE MRI studies of 10 normal volunteers and 10 infarct patients. RESULTS: Compared with manual image analysis, the semiautomated method resulted in the following systematic and random differences (auto-manual; mean +/- SD): end-diastolic volume: -5.5 +/- 9.7 ml; end-systolic volume: -3.6 +/- 6.5 ml; ejection fraction: 1.7 +/- 4.1%; left ventricular mass: 7.3 +/- 20.6 g. Total analysis time for a complete study was reduced from 3-4 h for the manual analysis to < 20 min using semiautomated contour detection. CONCLUSION: Global left ventricular function parameters can be obtained with a high degree of accuracy and precision using the present semiautomated contour detection algorithm.
Geest et al. (1997) studied this question.