Anatomic three-dimensional echocardiographic correlation of bicuspid aortic valve.
This study was undertaken to verify the echocardiographic characteristics of bicuspid aortic valve (AV) using 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography by comparing the findings with anatomic examination of autopsy specimens from carriers of this condition. Three-dimensional reconstructions of transesophageal echocardiograms were performed on 14 patients with bicuspid AV, and 20 autopsy specimens of bicuspid AVs were analyzed. Echocardiographic images and autopsy material were correlated. Two variants of bicuspid aorta were identified. In group I the AV had 2 leaflets. This group included 9 (9/14) 3-dimensional echocardiographic studies and 13 (13/20) necropsies. In group II 3 sigmoid leaflets had originally developed and 2 underwent dysplastic fusion, resulting in functionally bicuspid valves. Five (5/14) echocardiographic studies and 7 (7/20) anatomic specimens fell into this category. There was a clear correspondence between anatomic and echocardiographic findings, which leads to the conclusion that 3-dimensional echocardiography is a technique that reliably defines the morphological details of bicuspid AV with the precision of anatomopathologic examination.
Espinola-Zavaleta
Nilda
N
Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Juan Badiano No. 1, Colonia Sección XVI, 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.
Muñoz-Castellanos
Luis
L
Attié
Fause
F
Hernández-Morales
Gunther
G
Zamora-González
Carlos
C
Dueñas-Carbajal
Roy
R
Granados
Nuria
N
Keirns
Candace
C
Vargas-Barrón
Jesús
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology