False-positive diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension by Doppler echocardiography.
A 37-yr-old female presented with a history of several months of exertional dyspnoea. A diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension was suspected on the basis of a negative extensive cardiorespiratory work-up with a systolic pulmonary artery pressure of 41-46 mmHg calculated from repeated measurement of the maximum velocity of tricuspid regurgitation jets at 2.8-3 m x s(-1) by continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography. However, a right heart catheterization with a high-fidelity transducer-tipped catheter revealed pulmonary artery pressures of 22/8 mmHg at rest, which remained within normal limits at exercise. This case indicates a possible misleading overestimation of pulmonary artery pressures from Doppler echocardiographic studies of tricuspid regurgitation.
Vachiéry
J L
JL
Medical-Surgical Dept of Cardiology, Erasme University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
Brimioulle
S
S
Crasset
V
V
Naeije
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011651:Pulmonary Artery