Confused by MUGA results - help? - Heart Disorders Message Board

trigal · 08-04-2006, 11:33 AM

I recently had a MUGA and was told by the office that it was "normal". Okay that is good right? But I wanted to get my ef number. I could not get the Dr. on the phone and the nurse said, "well it's normal whats the problem?". Problem is I just want to know my number.

I got the results faxed to me but it does not give one number - it shows three different numbers based on three different views and I do not know which number is my ef. Can anyone help me in understanding this? Cardiologist does not return my call and my GP is away for the next week. I guess I should be okay with knowing it was "normal" but I would like to know my ef percentage. Report reads;

Left ventricular ejection fraction was;
75% in the anterior view
90% in the lateral view
49% in anterior oblique view

So what is my ef?
Thanks
TG

Lenin · 08-04-2006, 12:17 PM

I guess "normal" is what you are going to have to live with.

Since ejection fraction is defined as the percentage of blood pumped from the left ventricle into the aorta with a single heartbeat divided by the capacity of that ventricle at rest, for those of us with only one heart

there is only one such ratio.

The fact that you are given three numbers indicate how very imprecise these measurements are.

What your doctor seems to be telling you is that from one angle, it LOOKS to be such and such but from ANOTHER angle it looks to be something different.

Perhaps an AVERAGE of the three view (that yields 70%) might shed more light...or better yet, discard the 90% and the 49% and keep the 75%.

Probably the BEST approach is to discount the test entirely. Or to just go with "normal."

trigal · 08-04-2006, 12:48 PM

Thanks for your feedback. I ended up having the MUGA because an echo came out "difficult to interpret" and the Dr. told me after the fact that I should not have exercised (ran 8 miles) the morning of the test. I was just having some innocent PVC and am otherwise very healthy and fit. EKC, Stress Test and Holter came back normal.

I like your point of the one thing it does show is how impercise these tests can be. Depending on what angle your viewing can make a big difference. I wonder if there is one angle that is thought to be most accurate. I have to believe that if the Doc said it is normal then it is normal. I like the average of 70...

Thanks again for your thoughts.
TG