Quantification of aortic regurgitation using Doppler imaging.
Aortic insufficiency induces the development of a jet within the left ventricular outflow tract. The cross sectional area of this jet at its origin is the major determinant of the severity of the regurgitation. M mode Doppler imaging reportedly allows the measurement of jet diameter. This study was designed to evaluate the quantification of aortic regurgitation using a measurement of the jet diameter by M mode Doppler imaging. The left ventricular outflow tract of 32 patients was imaged using either a multigate pulsed Doppler velocimeter of color flow mapping system (Hewlett Packard). The jet diameter was compared to a 4 grade semiquantification derived from supravalvular aortography. Adequate imaging was obtained in the 32 patients. Four of them had no regurgitation: no diastolic flow image could be found during their Doppler investigation. A clear jet image was obtained in the 28 remaining patients. We found a close relationship between the jet diameter (jd in mm) and the angiographic grade (ag): jd = 2.4 + 6.1 ag, r = 0.88, the most significant differences being found between grade 0 and grade 1, and grade 1 and grade 2. In conclusion, direct M mode measurement of the regurgitant jet of aortic insufficiency at its origin offers an additional approach of the severity of the leak.
Raffoul
H
H
Unité INSERM 256, Hopital Broussais, Paris, France.
Diebold
B
B
Guglielmi
J P
JP
Touati
R
R
Forman
J
J
Ourbak
P
P
Peronneau
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged