Ejection Fraction Calculator (LVEF from end-diastolic and end-systolic volume)

Understanding the ejection fraction calculator — concept and principle

Ejection fraction (EF) is the share of blood in the left ventricle that is pumped out with each beat. This calculator works it out from the end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes reported on an echocardiogram or cardiac MRI, and grades it against the sex-specific ranges of the American Society of Echocardiography.

Share pumped out per beat: with the default inputs the result is EF 58.3% (70 ÷ 120 · normal 52–72%).

How it is calculated

EF (%) = (EDV − ESV) ÷ EDV × 100

Stroke volume (mL) = EDV − ESV

EDV is the volume of the left ventricle at the end of filling (diastole), in mL.
ESV is the volume left at the end of contraction (systole), in mL.
Volumes are usually measured with the biplane method of discs (Simpson's method) on 2D echo.

The principle

The ventricle fills to EDV, then contracts and pushes out the stroke volume, leaving ESV behind. Dividing the stroke volume by EDV gives a fraction that does not depend on heart size, so a small and a large heart can be compared. A healthy ventricle ejects a little over half its volume. When the muscle is weak, it empties less and EF falls. EF also changes with how full the heart is (preload), the pressure it pumps against (afterload) and heart rate.

Worked example

Default inputs: male, EDV 120 mL, ESV 50 mL.

Stroke volume = 120 − 50 = 70 mL.
EF = 70 ÷ 120 × 100 = 58.33% → 58.3%.
The male normal range is 52–72%, so the grade is Within the normal range.

Each point is the calculator re-run with only “End-systolic volume, ESV (mL)” changed; the gold point is the default example. Change the inputs above and this chart follows your numbers.

End-systolic volume, ESV (mL)	Ejection fraction
12.5	89.6%
25	79.2%
37.5	68.8%
50	58.3%
62.5	47.9%
75	37.5%
100	16.7%

How to read the result

Where does your result fall?

ASE/EACVI 2015 ranges: normal 52–72% in men and 54–74% in women; mildly abnormal 41–51% (men) or 41–53% (women); moderately abnormal 30–40%; severely abnormal under 30%. Heart failure guidelines group patients as reduced EF (40% or less), mildly reduced (41–49%) and preserved (50% or more). Results differ between echo, MRI and nuclear scans by several percentage points, so compare like with like.

Common mistakes

Swapping EDV and ESV. ESV must be the smaller volume.
Assuming a normal EF means a normal heart. Heart failure with preserved EF is common.
Comparing an echo EF with an MRI EF as if they were the same measurement.

Keep in mind: This is not a diagnosis. EF is one finding among many; a cardiologist interprets it with symptoms, other measurements and tests.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal ejection fraction?

Roughly 52–72% for men and 54–74% for women by the ASE/EACVI recommendations.

Can ejection fraction improve?

Yes. With treatment of the cause and guideline medicines, EF often rises in some forms of heart failure.

Is a very high EF good?

Values above the normal range can occur with a thick, small ventricle, for example in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, so they also deserve review.

Sources: Lang RM, Badano LP, Mor-Avi V, et al., "Recommendations for cardiac chamber quantification by echocardiography in adults: an update from the ASE and the EACVI", Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2015;16:233–271

Checked 9 Nov 2026. Lang RM, Badano LP, Mor-Avi V, et al., “Recommendations for cardiac chamber quantification by echocardiography in adults: an update from the ASE and the EACVI”, Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2015;16:233–271 (Table 4: LVEF normal ranges and abnormality partition values by sex).

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