Abstract

• The purpose of this study is to establish normal values for left ventricular volume and cardiac output, which might be used for evaluating patients with congenital heart disease or coronary artery disease.
  Two dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed in 111 pediatric normal subjects.
  Age ranged form newborn to 15 years.
  The results are as follows:
  1) Left ventricular end-diastolic volume ranged from 6.3 to 73.7ml and left ventricular end systolic volume ranged from 1.1 to 16.0ml
  Left ventricular volume increased with advancing age or body weight.
  2) Ejection fraction ranged from 78.3 to 83.5%. Lower limit of 5% of ejection fraction ranged from 69.3 to 73.1%.
  3) Aortic flow integral was not significantly increased according to advancing age of body weight, but measurement of aortic diameter showed a steady increase with advancing age or body weight.
  4) Cardiac output ranged from 0.68 to 4.3l/min.
  Cordiac output increased significantly with advancing age or body weight. Echocardiography is a best noninvasive diagnostic tool to assess left ventricular function and cardiac output.