LV Mass Calculator (left ventricular mass, index and geometry by echo, ASE 2015)

Understanding the LV mass calculator — concept and principle

This calculator estimates left ventricular (LV) mass from three echocardiography measurements, indexes it to body surface area and classifies LV geometry with the relative wall thickness, following the ASE/EACVI 2015 recommendations. Cardiologists use it to detect hypertrophy, for example from high blood pressure or valve disease.

Shell of heart muscle: with the default inputs the result is 90 g/m² (RWT 0.42 → normal geometry).

How it is calculated

LV mass (g) = 0.8 × 1.04 × [(IVSd + LVIDd + PWd)³ − LVIDd³] + 0.6

Body surface area (Mosteller, m²) = √(height cm × weight kg ÷ 3,600)

LV mass index = LV mass ÷ body surface area

Relative wall thickness (RWT) = 2 × PWd ÷ LVIDd

All three measurements are in cm at end-diastole.
Upper normal mass index: 115 g/m² in men, 95 g/m² in women; RWT above 0.42 is concentric.

The principle

The formula treats the ventricle as a shell. The cube of the outer diameter minus the cube of the inner diameter is proportional to the volume of muscle; multiplying by 1.04 g/mL, the density of heart muscle, gives mass. The 0.8 factor and 0.6 g constant are Devereux's corrections to match autopsy data. RWT compares wall thickness with chamber size, separating thick walls around a normal cavity from a dilated chamber.

Worked example

Default inputs: male, IVSd 1.0, LVIDd 4.8, PWd 1.0 cm, height 172 cm, weight 75 kg.

6.8³ − 4.8³ = 314.43 − 110.59 = 203.84.
LV mass = 0.832 × 203.84 + 0.6 = 170 g.
BSA = √(172 × 75 ÷ 3,600) = 1.89 m²; index = 170.2 ÷ 1.893 = 90 g/m² → Within normal (up to 115 g/m²).
RWT = 2 × 1.0 ÷ 4.8 = 0.42 (0.417) → not above 0.42 → Normal geometry.

Each point is the calculator re-run with only “LV internal diameter in diastole, LVIDd (cm)” changed; the gold point is the default example. Change the inputs above and this chart follows your numbers.

LV internal diameter in diastole, LVIDd (cm)	LV mass (g)
1.2	26
2.4	60
3.6	108
4.8	170
6	247
7.2	338
9.6	563

How to read the result

Where does your result fall?

The four patterns are normal geometry, concentric remodelling (normal mass, high RWT), concentric hypertrophy (high mass and RWT) and eccentric hypertrophy (high mass, RWT 0.42 or less). Hypertrophy raises cardiovascular risk and prompts a search for the cause.

Common mistakes

Measuring in systole instead of diastole.
Including right-ventricular trabeculations in the septum.
Forgetting that cubing magnifies small errors: 1 mm extra in each wall noticeably raises the mass.

Keep in mind: This is a measurement aid, not a diagnosis. Echo findings are interpreted by a cardiologist with the full study.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal LV mass index?

49–115 g/m² in men and 43–95 g/m² in women by this method.

Is MRI more accurate?

Yes. Cardiac MRI measures mass directly without geometric assumptions.

Can LV hypertrophy reverse?

It often regresses with good blood pressure control or treatment of the cause.

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 · Devereux RB et al., "Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular hypertrophy: comparison to necropsy findings", Am J Cardiol 1986;57:450–458

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 5 linear LV mass formula; Table 6 normal LV mass index 49–115 g/m² men, 43–95 g/m² women; RWT and Figure 6 geometry).

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