Which condition is most likely to interfere with performing a left ventricular ejection fraction using the gated equilibrium technique?

The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a crucial measurement that assesses the percentage of blood the heart pumps out with each contraction. In the gated equilibrium technique for measuring LVEF, synchronizing the acquisition of images with the cardiac cycle is essential for accurate outcomes. Cardiac arrhythmias present a significant challenge in this context.

When a patient experiences a cardiac arrhythmia, their heart rhythm becomes irregular, leading to varied intervals between heartbeats. This irregularity disrupts the timing necessary for the gated equilibrium technique, as the method relies on consistent and predictable intervals to accurately assess the heart’s function. As a result, the acquisition of data may be compromised, leading to inaccurate or inconclusive measurements of the ejection fraction.

Other conditions, such as doxorubicin toxicity, coronary artery disease, and cardiomyopathy, are related to changes in the heart's structure or function but generally still allow for effective gating in measurements of LVEF. These conditions may affect the ejection fraction results but do not inherently interfere with the gating process to the same extent as an arrhythmia does. Thus, the presence of a cardiac arrhythmia makes it the most likely condition to obstruct accurate evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction using