title: Quantitative measurement of mitral regurgitation: comparison between echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Echocardiography is usually performed to quantify the severity of regurgitation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can also quantify mitral regurgitation. This study was performed to determine whether MRI can reliably quantify the severity of mitral regurgitation when compared with echocardiography
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrospectively studied patients who underwent cardiac MRI between January 2008 and January 2011. Echocardiography was performed within 3 months of MRI. Mitral regurgitation was quantified by 3 methods of MRI; 1) difference of left ventricular stroke volume and right ventricular stroke volume, 2) difference of left ventricular stroke volume and forward flow volume in ascending aorta and 3) calculation of regurgitation fraction from the ratio of area of regurgitantjet and area of the left atrium. Proximal isovelocity surface area was the echocardiography parameter for mitral regurgitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-three subjects (24 women and 19 men; 47 to 85 years of age) were enrolled. Mitral regurgitation grading by MRI (2nd method) was mild (n = 28) moderate (n = 11) and severe (n = 4). There was moderate correlation between echocardiography and MRI assessments of regurgitation volume as follows; (1) difference between left ventricular stroke volume and right ventricular stroke volume (r = 0.48, p = 0.016), (2) subtracting forward flow volume of ascending aorta from left ventricular stroke volume (r = 0.48, p = 0.012). There was also correlation between regurgitation volume by echocardiography and fraction of maximal area of regurgitant jet divided by the area of the left atrium (r = 0.72, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac MRI compares favorably with echocardiography for quantifying mitral regurgitation severity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Bunyapon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sukpraphrute
authors.forename: Srisakul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chirakarnjanakorn
authors.forename: Khemajira
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karaketklang
authors.forename: Ahthit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yindeengam
authors.forename: Rungroj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krittayaphong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012015:Reference Standards