[Evaluation of left ventricular function: echocardiography, MRI or CT?]

The objective of this article is to clarify the advantages and limits of echocardiography, MRI, and CT for the determination of left ventricular (LV) function, emphasising the importance of evaluating global ventricular function. MRI is the reference technique, owing to its precision, reproducibility, and innocuous nature. However, echography is performed much more frequently because it is more widely available and easier to carry out. It is our reference technique in everyday practice. More recently, synchronised multi-slice tomodensitometry has provided dynamic reconstructed images of the left ventricle throughout the cardiac cycle, offering a succession of short axis views covering the entire volume of the ventricle. These acquisitions, in addition to non-invasive coronary angiography, allow the LV ejection fraction to be determined. With MRI, study of the LV function does not require any contrast medium to be injected and makes use of effective semi-automatic segmentation programs.