Noninvasive estimation of cardiac systolic function using continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography in dogs with experimental mitral regurgitation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility of noninvasive estimation of cardiac systolic function using transthoracic continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography in dogs with mitral regurgitation.


METHODS
Seven mongrel dogs with experimental mitral regurgitation were used. Left ventriculography and measurement of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were performed under inhalational anaesthesia. A micromanometer-tipped catheter was placed into the left ventricle and transthoracic echocardiography was carried out. The peak rate of left ventricular pressure rise (peak dP/dt) was derived simultaneously by continuous-wave Doppler and manometer measurements. The Doppler-derived dP/dt was compared with the catheter-measured peak dP/dt in the dogs.


RESULTS
Classification of the severity of mitral regurgitation in the dogs was as follows: 1+, 2 dogs; 2+, 1 dog; 3+, 2 dogs; 4+, 1 dog; and not examined, 1 dog. We were able to derive dP/dt from the transthoracic continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography in all dogs. Doppler-derived dP/dt had a significant correlation with the catheter-measured peak dP/dt (r = 0.90, P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
It was demonstrated that transthoracic continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography is a feasible method of noninvasive estimation of cardiac systolic function in dogs with experimental mitral regurgitation and may have clinical usefulness in canine patients with spontaneous mitral regurgitation.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
K
K
Asano
Y
Y
Masui
K
K
Masuda
T
T
Fujinaga
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*