Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
ejection fraction
A measurement expressed as a percentage indicating how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction.
Full Definition
Ejection fraction (EF) is a key cardiac parameter that measures the percentage of blood pumped out of the left ventricle during each heartbeat. Normal ejection fraction ranges from 50-70%, with reduced EF below 40% indicating heart failure. This measurement is crucial in cardiac imaging reports and is obtained through echocardiography, cardiac MRI, or nuclear imaging. Editorial note: always express as a percentage and avoid confusion with fractional shortening.
Usage
Usage note: Always express as a percentage. Do not hyphenate when used as a noun phrase.
In Context
- "The patient's ejection fraction improved from 35% to 55% following treatment." — Echocardiography report
- "Reduced ejection fraction was noted on the cardiac MRI study." — Radiology report
Also known as
EF
left ventricular ejection fraction
LVEF
Don't confuse with
fractional shortening
stroke volume