Fully-automated stroke volume determination from digital color flow echocardiographic images

Presents a technique for automatically computing stroke volume from 2-D color flow echocardiographic cineloops of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). By utilizing the anatomical and blood velocity information in the color flow image, the measurement technique eliminated many of the technical obstacles and assumptions in existing methods. This technique determines the blood flow vector, LVOT conduit border, and ejection period without human guidance, and the stroke volume is computed automatically. The resulting automated technique improves measurement accuracy and speed and only requires one data set (a color flow cineloop).