A MODEL FOR ACCURATE CARDIAC VOLUMETRY, Part I: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS

The classical models for volumelry of the heart's left ventricle are based upon the simplifying assumption that this chamber is an ellipsoid. This simplification is needed in order to manually process radiographic images of the left ventricle. Computer processing of these images allows a much more realistic approach by associating with the left ventricle a topologically deformed ellipsoid, which approximately is its actual shape. This is the model proposed and analysed in this paper; from this model an algorithm is derived for accurately calculating left ventricle volumetry. This algorithm is simple enough to be implemented on most microcomputers provided with an analog‐to‐digital converter, like joystick, or a magic pen or digitizer. By this procedure the assessing of hemodynamical parameters can be performed in a few minutes with a great improvement in accuracy as compared with classical methods.