LV Calculator

Created by Łucja Zaborowska, MD, PhD candidate

Reviewed by Steven Wooding

Based on research by

Mizukoshi K, Takeuchi M, Nagata Y, Addetia K, Lang RM, Akashi YJ, Otsuji Y. “Normal Values of Left Ventricular Mass Index Assessed by Transthoracic Three-Dimensional Echocardiography.“ Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography (January 2016)See 2 more sources

Weerakkody, Y. “Left ventricular mass index. Reference article.“ Radiopaedia.org (accessed on 11 Jul 2022)Galderisi M, Cosyns B, Edvardsen T, Cardim N, Delgado V, Di Salvo G, Donal E, Sade LE, Ernande L, Garbi M, Grapsa J, Hagendorff A, Kamp O, Magne J, Santoro C, Stefanidis A, Lancellotti P, Popescu B, Habib G “Standardization of adult transthoracic echocardiography reporting in agreement with recent chamber quantification, diastolic function, and heart valve disease recommendations: an expert consensus document of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging“ European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging (December 2017)

Last updated: Jul 11, 2023

Table of contents:

Our LV calculator allows you to painlessly evaluate the left ventricular mass, left ventricular mass index (LVMI for the heart), and the relative wall thickness (RWT).

Read on and discover all the details of our LV mass calculator and its variables:

Definitions of abnormal LV mass index;
PWd normal range; and
IVSD in echo ❤️

Normal values of LV mass measurements in echo

We measure left ventricular mass to evaluate the risk and prognosis of patients with heart diseases and/or heart failure. We often use all the enumerated variables for the diagnosis of conditions that may pose a significant risk to your patient's life and health.

Echocardiography measurements might be confusing, especially to those completely new to the field – that's why we decided to post all the necessary definitions needed for the correct evaluation of the measurements' values. You'll find them in the section below. ❣️

LVMI – LV Mass Indexed to Body Surface Area

Women (g/m²)
43-95	Normal range
96-108	Mildly enlarged (abnormal)
109-121	Moderately enlarged (abnormal)
≥122	Severely enlarged (abnormal)

Men (g/m²)
49-115	Normal range
116-131	Mildly enlarged (abnormal)
132-148	Moderately enlarged (abnormal)
≥149	Severely enlarged (abnormal)

RWT (Relative Wall Thickness)

If the LVMI exceeds 95 g/m² for women or 115 g/m² for men:
- RWT >0.42 – Concentric hypertrophy
- RWT ≤0.42 – Eccentric hypertrophy
If the LVMI ≤95 g/m² for women or ≤115 g/m² for men:
- RWT >0.42 – Concentric remodeling
- RWT ≤0.42 – Normal heart

Left ventricle mass versus relative wall thickness diagram

LVEDD (Left Ventricle End Diastolic Dimension)

Typical values: 39-56 mm
IVSd (Interventricular Septal end Diastole measurement)

Typical values: 0.6-1.1 cm
PWd (Posterior Wall thickness at end-Diastole)

Typical values: 0.6-1.1 cm

Hungry for knowledge? Discover our other heart tools for professionals, such as Heart failure life expectancy calculator and GRACE calculator, to find out how long one can live with congestive heart failure and the probability of death in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, respectively.

How to use the left ventricular mass calculator?

Enter your patient's sex and the body surface area (BSA)

If you don't know the BSA – input their weight and height, and our tool will compute it automatically.
Enter your patient's left ventricle end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD)

We measure LVEDD using echocardiography. LVEDD is measured during end-diastole, which is the final moment of the relaxation of the heart. We measure the external diameter of the left ventricle of a heart.
Enter your patient's interventricular septal end-diastole measurement (IVSd)

It is also measured with echo. We evaluate the thickness of the wall that is located between the two ventricles of a heart.
Enter your patient's posterior wall thickness at end-diastole (PWd)

Measured with echo. We measure the thickness of a heart's back wall at the end of the heart relaxation period (diastole).

Voilà! 🎉 Your results are here.

Our calculator will display the interpretation of the LV mass value and its relative wall thickness alongside the computed numerical values.

How to calculate the left ventricular mass?

LV mass calculations can be easily done single-handed – try it yourself!

❗ Our tool cannot be used as a substitute for clinical knowledge, judgment or medical professional's expertise. Always double-check your calculations.

Our LV mass index calculator uses the following equation:

\scriptsize \begin{split} \text{LV Mass} = 0.8 \cdot [1.04 \cdot (({\rm LVEDD + IVSd}\\ +\ {\rm PWd})^3 - \text{LVEDD}^3)] + 0.6, \end{split}

where:

$\rm LV\ mass$ – Left ventricular mass, given in grams (g);
$\rm LVEDD$ – Left ventricle end-diastolic dimension, given in centimeters (cm);
$\rm IVSd$ – Interventricular septal end diastole, given in centimeters (cm);
$\rm PWd$ – Posterior wall thickness at end-diastole, given in centimeters (cm); and
$1.04$ – Heart muscle density in g/cm³.

Let's follow a quick example:

Our patient's LVEDD is 10 mm, IVSd is equal to 6 mm, and PWd is 1 mm. We know that 1 cm = 10 mm.

\scriptsize \begin{split} \text{LV Mass}&= (0.8 \cdot [1.04\ {\rm g/cm^3} \cdot ((1\ {\rm cm}\\ &\ \ \ + 0.6\ {\rm cm} +0.1\ {\rm cm})^3 - 1^3)]) + 0.6\\[.6em] &= (0.8 \cdot [1.04\ {\rm g/cm^3} \cdot ((1.7\ {\rm cm})^3\\&\qquad - 1)] ) + 0.6\\[.6em] &=( 0.8 \cdot [1.04\ {\rm g} \cdot ((1.7)^3 - 1)]) + 0.6\\[.4em] &= ( 0.8 \cdot [1.04\ {\rm g} \cdot 3.913]) + 0.6\\[.4em] &= 3.26 + 0.6\ \rm g\\[.4em] &= 3.86\ \rm g \end{split}

How to calculate the LV mass index?

LV mass index is the short term for the LV Mass Indexed to Body Surface Area. We use the estimated surface of the body to evaluate the ratio of the left ventricle mass.

We used the following equation:

LVMI = LV mass / BSA,

where:

LVMI – Left ventricular mass index, given in grams per square meters (g/m²);
LV mass – Left ventricular mass, calculated in the paragraph above, given in grams (g); and
BSA – Body surface area, calculated using your patient's weight and height, given in square meters (m²). If you want to find the body surface area of your patient easily, use Omni BSA calculator.

FAQ

What is the normal range for LV mass index?

The normal range for LV mass index (LVMI), a measurement used to evaluate the risk and prognosis of patients with heart diseases and/or heart failure varies depending on the sex of the individual; for instance, the normal range for women is 43-95 g/m² and for men, its 49-115 g/m².

What is the abnormal range for LV mass index (LVMI)?

The abnormal range for LV mass index (LVMI) can be different depending on the sex of an individual. For instance, moderately enlarged LVMI in women is 109-121 g/m², while in men, it is 132-148 g/m².

How is LVEDD measured?

Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) is assessed through echocardiography, a non-invasive imaging technique. More specifically, the size of the heart's left ventricle is estimated during end-diastole, which is the final moment of the relaxation of the heart.

How do I calculate the LV mass index?

To calculate the left ventricular mass index (LVMI), follow these steps:

Determine the left ventricular mass using the LV mass equation.
Divide the value obtained in step 1 by the body surface area (BSA), calculated based on the patient's weight and height in square meters (m²).
That's all! You have now obtained the LV mass index.

You can also use the Omni LV calculator to determine the LV mass index quickly.

Łucja Zaborowska, MD, PhD candidate

Sex

Do you know body surface area?

Body Surface Area

LVEDD

IVSd

PWd

Results

Left ventricular mass

LVMI

Relative Wall Thickness

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