title: Use of multiple views in the echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary artery systolic pressure.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine which echocardiographic views most reliably demonstrate the maximum velocity of a tricuspid regurgitant jet in the evaluation of pulmonary artery systolic pressure. Consecutive patients seen in three echocardiographic laboratories during a 3-month period were enrolled. A complete Doppler examination was performed on each patient, including a continuous-wave Doppler evaluation of tricuspid regurgitation in each of seven views. All seven views were used to determine the maximum velocity of tricuspid regurgitation. Of the 1163 studies, 866 (75%) had some tricuspid regurgitation by color-flow Doppler and 614 (53%) had a measurable velocity of tricuspid regurgitation in at least one view. No single echocardiographic view consistently yielded the maximum velocity of tricuspid regurgitation. The apical four-chamber view alone was inadequate. All seven views must be used to be certain that the maximum velocity of tricuspid regurgitation has been obtained.
authors.affiliation: Lankenau Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pauletto
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D013599:Systole; D014262:Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology