Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34731329›Full record

ArticleInsights into imaging2021

Limitations of cardiothoracic ratio derived from chest radiographs to predict real heart size: comparison with magnetic resonance imaging.

Paulius Simkus, Manuel Gutierrez Gimeno, Audra Banisauskaite, Jurate Noreikaite, David McCreavy, Diana Penha, Monika Arzanauskaite

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Insights into imaging, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. New parameter for QRS complex low voltage in chagasic cardiomyopathy: the ADOC index.Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.

Paulius SimkusRadiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE, UK.
Manuel Gutierrez GimenoRadiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE, UK.
Audra BanisauskaiteRadiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE, UK.
Jurate NoreikaiteRadiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE, UK.
David McCreavyRadiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE, UK.
Diana PenhaRadiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE, UK.
Monika ArzanauskaiteRadiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE, UK. Monika.Arzanauskaite@lhch.nhs.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4004-4150
University of Liverpool · GBLithuanian University of Health Sciences · LT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCardiothoracic ratio (CTR) in chest radiographs is still widely used to estimate cardiac size despite the advent of newer imaging techniques. We hypothesise that a universal CTR cut-off value of 50% is a poor indicator of cardiac enlargement. Our aim was to compare CTR with volumetric and functional parameters derived from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

methods309 patients with a chest radiograph and cardiac MRI acquired within a month were reviewed to assess how CTR correlates with multiple cardiac MRI variables: bi-ventricular EDV (absolute and indexed to body surface area), EF, indexed total heart volume and bi-atrial areas. In addition, we have also determined CTR accuracy by creating multiple ROC curves with the described variables.

resultsAll cardiac MRI variables correlate weakly but statistically significantly with CTR. This weak correlation is explained by a substantial overlap of cardiac MRI parameters in patients with normal and increased CTR. For all variables, CTR was only mildly to moderately better than a chance to discriminate cardiac enlargement (AUC 0.6-0.7). Large CTR values (> 55%) are specific but not sensitive, while low CTR values (< 45%) are sensitive but not specific. Values in between are not sensitive nor specific.

conclusionsCTR correlates weakly with true chamber size assessed by gold standard cardiac MRI and has a weak discriminatory power. Thus, clinical decisions based on intermediate CTRs (45-55%) should be avoided. Large CTRs (> 55%) are likely indicative of true heart chamber enlargement. Low CTRs (< 45%) are likely indicative of normal heart size.

Indexed as

Cardiac imagingCardiac magnetic resonance imagingCardiothoracic ratioChest radiograph

Identifiers

PMID34731329
PMCPMC8566609
OpenAlexW3208566837

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.