Introduction
The LVMI Calculator works out your left ventricular mass index. This number tells you if the main pumping chamber of the heart (the left ventricle) has grown too thick or too heavy.
To use it, enter three measurements from an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound): the LV end diastolic dimension (LVEDD), the septal wall thickness (IVSd), and the posterior wall thickness (PWd). You also add your body surface area (BSA), or just your height and weight so the calculator can work out the BSA.
The calculator then uses the Devereux formula to find LV mass in grams. It divides that mass by your BSA to get LVMI in grams per square metre. It also finds your relative wall thickness (RWT), which compares wall thickness to chamber size.
Your result is matched to normal ranges for males and females based on ASE/EACVI guidelines. You will see if the value is normal, mildly, moderately, or severely abnormal. The tool also names your heart's shape pattern: normal geometry, concentric remodeling, eccentric hypertrophy, or concentric hypertrophy.
A high LVMI can be a sign of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), which is often linked to high blood pressure, valve disease, or heart failure risk. Every result comes with full step-by-step math and charts. This tool is for learning and support only. Always talk to your doctor about what your numbers mean.
How to use our LVMI Calculator
Enter your sex, three echo wall measurements, and your body size. The calculator gives your left ventricular mass, your LV mass index (LVMI), your relative wall thickness (RWT), your BSA, a severity rating, and your LV geometry pattern.
Biological Sex: Pick Male or Female. Normal LVMI limits are different for men and women, so this changes your result rating.
Do you know your Body Surface Area (BSA)? Choose "Yes" to type your BSA in. Choose "No" to let the tool work out BSA from your height and weight using the Mosteller formula.
Set all three units: Tap mm, cm, or in to switch all three echo boxes at once. Numbers you already typed are converted for you.
LV End Diastolic Dimension (LVEDD): Type the inside width of the left ventricle at end-diastole, then pick the unit (mm, cm, or in).
Interventricular Septal Thickness (IVSd): Type the septal wall thickness at end-diastole and pick its unit.
Posterior Wall Thickness (PWd): Type the back wall thickness at end-diastole and pick its unit. This value also sets your RWT.
Body Surface Area (BSA, m²): Shown only if you chose "Yes". Type your BSA in square metres, like 2.01.
Height: Shown only if you chose "No". Type your standing height and pick cm, m, in, or ft.
Weight: Shown only if you chose "No". Type your body weight and pick kg, lb, or st. Your BSA shows right away next to these boxes.
Calculate and Reset: Results update as you type, but you can press Calculate to refresh them. Press Reset to bring back the sample values.
What Is Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI)?
The left ventricle is the main pumping chamber of your heart. It pushes blood out to the rest of your body. Left ventricular mass is how much that muscle weighs. Big people have bigger hearts, so doctors divide the mass by body surface area (BSA). That gives the left ventricular mass index (LVMI), measured in grams per square meter (g/m²). Using LVMI lets doctors compare a small adult's heart to a tall adult's heart in a fair way.
How LV Mass Is Measured
The numbers come from an echocardiogram, an ultrasound scan of the heart. During end-diastole (when the heart is full of blood), the sonographer measures three things:
- LVEDD, the width inside the left ventricle
- IVSd, the thickness of the wall between the two ventricles
- PWd, the thickness of the back wall of the left ventricle
Those three numbers go into the Devereux formula (the ASE-corrected version), which is the standard way to estimate LV mass from an echo. The mass is then divided by BSA to get LVMI. BSA is often found with the Mosteller formula, which uses height and weight.
What the Numbers Mean
The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) set different cut points for men and women, because men normally have more heart muscle.
| Class | Women (g/m²) | Men (g/m²) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 43–95 | 49–115 |
| Mildly abnormal | 96–108 | 116–131 |
| Moderately abnormal | 109–121 | 132–148 |
| Severely abnormal | 122 or more | 149 or more |
A high LVMI means left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The heart muscle has grown too thick or too heavy. This often comes from high blood pressure, a tight aortic valve, obesity, or a genetic heart disease. LVH raises the risk of heart failure, stroke, irregular heartbeats, and death, so finding it early matters.
Relative Wall Thickness and Heart Shape
Relative wall thickness (RWT) compares wall thickness to chamber size. The formula is (2 × PWd) ÷ LVEDD. A value above 0.42 means the walls are thick compared to the chamber. Putting LVMI and RWT together tells you the shape, or geometry, of the left ventricle:
- Normal geometry, normal LVMI, RWT 0.42 or less
- Concentric remodeling, normal LVMI, RWT above 0.42. Walls are thicker and the chamber is smaller.
- Eccentric hypertrophy, high LVMI, RWT 0.42 or less. The chamber is stretched and wider.
- Concentric hypertrophy, high LVMI, RWT above 0.42. Thick walls and heavy muscle. This pattern carries the highest risk.
Things to Keep in Mind
The Devereux formula assumes the left ventricle has a normal shape. It can be off in people who have had a heart attack, have an odd-shaped ventricle, or have a poor ultrasound window. Cardiac MRI is more exact when the echo numbers are unclear. Indexing to BSA can also hide LVH in people with obesity, so some doctors index to height2.7 instead. Always talk about your results with your doctor. This tool is for learning and is not a diagnosis.