INTRODUCTION
Quantification of left ventricular size and function from echocardiography is important in the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of pediatric heart disease.1 With rapid improvement in technology, three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) evaluation of left ventricular (LV) volume and function in pediatrics compares favorably with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)2-5. However, a multicenter trial, to assess reproducibility, has not been done in the pediatric population.
Recent technological advances allow fully automated quantification (without edits to LV contouring borders) of left heart chamber by 3DE, thus potentially reducing the time and difficulty, and potentially increasing the reliability of the LV volume quantification. Automated contouring might enhance the adoption of 3DE quantification of LV that can be incorporated into routine clinical practice.
A multicenter trial would provide important data concerning the reproducibility of 3DE to measure LV volumes and function. Such a large-scale study would also allow for generation of normative data in pediatric patients. Moreover, such a study could also evaluate the differences between automated and semi-automated quantification software. Thus, the aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of measuring 3D volumes and function in young pediatric patients in a multicenter trial; and to determine if automated software (without contouring edits) will improve the reproducibility in volume and function analysis; and thus establish normal z score values in this unique population.