Transesophageal echo-Doppler echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary venous flow patterns.

Fifty-eight of 61 consecutive patients undergoing transesophageal echo-Doppler echocardiography provided excellent signals to permit assessment of pulmonary venous blood low patterns. Normal antegrade pulmonary venous flow during ventricular systole was biphasic and was characterized by a short, low velocity (28 +/- 17 cm/sec), early systolic jet (P1), and longer, higher velocity (41 +/- 23 cm/sec), late systolic jet (P2). Antegrade pulmonary venous flow during ventricular diastole (P3) was of moderate velocity (34 +/- 17 cm/sec) and was monophasic; during atrial contraction there was transient, low velocity (-17 +/- 11 cm/sec) and reversal of flow (P4). The early systolic antegrade venous flow (P1) was absent or reversed in rhythm disorders, which interrupted normal synchronized atrioventricular activation. These rhythm disorders also were associated with diminished peak flow velocities during late systole (P2). Abnormalities in systolic left ventricular function and mitral regurgitation also had this effect. Diastolic flow velocities (P3) remained constant, except in patients with mitral regurgitation. In these patients diastolic peak flows were significantly increased above normal. In cases of atrial fibrillation or ventricular pacing the late diastolic reversal of flow resulting from atrial contraction (P4) was absent. Conclusions: Transesophageal echo-Doppler echocardiography gives high quality signals of pulmonary venous inflow to help assess function of the left ventricle and left atrium. Multiple factors affect the patterns. This study suggests caution in the interpretation of abnormal patterns, particularly of reduced systolic pulmonary vein flow in the presence of left ventricular dysfunction, atrial fibrillation, ventricular pacing, and mitral regurgitation.     

Transesophageal color flow Doppler mapping in the assessment of native mitral valvular regurgitation: comparison with left ventricular angiography.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed within 24 hours after cardiac catheterization in 45 patients for assessment of native mitral valvular regurgitation. Color flow mapping was used in evaluating systolic regurgitant jet sizes. A jet demonstrated by TEE was 96% sensitive and 44% specific for angiographic mitral regurgitation. The presence of angiographic mitral regurgitation was best predicted by (single measurement) (1) a holosystolic jet, (2) a jet length greater than 2.5 cm, and (3) a jet area greater than 2 cm2. Severe angiographic mitral regurgitation (grades 3 and 4) was best predicted by (single measurement) (1) a jet area greater than 5 cm2, and (2) a jet length greater than 4 cm. It is concluded that the assessment of angiographic mitral regurgitation by TEE is improved by the measurement of these jet parameters, which have a high sensitivity and higher specificity than the presence of a jet alone. Furthermore, with TEE one is able to differentiate severe (grades 3 and 4) from absent or mild mitral regurgitation (grades 0, 1, and 2).     

Contributing factors to formation of left atrial spontaneous echo contrast in mitral valvular disease

The formation of left atrial spontaneous echo contrast may relate to blood stasis. This study analyzed the factors contributing to the formation of that contrast. Transesophageal echocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and left ventricular angiography were performed in 139 patients, divided into five groups. Predominant mitral stenosis with atrial fibrillation was found in 36 patients (group I); normal porcine valve in the mitral valvular area with atrial fibrillation in 31 (group II); predominant mitral stenosis with normal sinus rhythm in 26 (group III); moderate to severe mitral regurgitation with atrial fibrillation in 25 (group IV); atrial fibrillation with normal mitral valve in 21 (group V). The results showed left atrial spontaneous contrast echo was found in only 1 of 139 patients by transthoracic echocardiography and 62 of 139 cases were detected by transesophageal echocardiography. There was a high incidence of left atrial spontaneous echo contrast in cases of mitral obstruction with atrial fibrillation and enlarged left atrium (group I, 88%; group II, 74%), but a lower incidence in cases with normal sinus rhythm (group III, 4%), atrial fibrillation alone (group V, 16%), and increased left atrial flow velocity (group IV, 9.5%). The diameter of the left atrium was significantly different between presence and absence of left atrial spontaneous contrast echo (54.3 +/- 9.2 mm vs. 48.3 +/- 8.6 mm, p less than 0.01). The mean pressure gradient was similar in groups I and III (14.6 +/- 0.6 mHg and 14.4 +/- 2.8 mHg, respectively) but different in group II (10.9 +/- 3.2 mHg, p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The value of assessing pulmonary venous flow velocity for predicting severity of mitral regurgitation: A quantitative assessment integrating left ventricular function.

Although alteration in pulmonary venous flow has been reported to relate to mitral regurgitant severity, it is also known to vary with left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunction. There are few data relating pulmonary venous flow to quantitative indexes of mitral regurgitation (MR). The object of this study was to assess quantitatively the accuracy of pulmonary venous flow for predicting MR severity by using transesophageal echocardiographic measurement in patients with variable LV dysfunction. This study consisted of 73 patients undergoing heart surgery with mild to severe MR. Regurgitant orifice area (ROA), regurgitant stroke volume (RSV), and regurgitant fraction (RF) were obtained by quantitative transesophageal echocardiography and proximal isovelocity surface area. Both left and right upper pulmonary venous flow velocities were recorded and their patterns classified by the ratio of systolic to diastolic velocity: normal (>/=1), blunted (<1), and systolic reversal (<0). Twenty-three percent of patients had discordant patterns between the left and right veins. When the most abnormal patterns either in the left or right vein were used for analysis, the ratio of peak systolic to diastolic flow velocity was negatively correlated with ROA (r = -0.74, P <.001), RSV (r = -0.70, P <.001), and RF (r = -0.66, P <.001) calculated by the Doppler thermodilution method; values were r = -0.70, r = -0.67, and r = -0.57, respectively (all P <.001), for indexes calculated by the proximal isovelocity surface area method. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the reversed pulmonary venous flow pattern for detecting a large ROA (>0.3 cm(2)) were 69%, 98%, and 97%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the normal pulmonary venous flow pattern for detecting a small ROA (<0.3 cm(2)) were 60%, 96%, and 94%, respectively. However, the blunted pattern had low sensitivity (22%), specificity (61%), and predictive values (30%) for detecting ROA of greater than 0.3 cm(2) with significant overlap with the reversed and normal patterns. Among patients with the blunted pattern, the correlation between the systolic to diastolic velocity ratio was worse in those with LV dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%, r = 0.23, P >.05) than in those with normal LV function (r = -0.57, P <.05). Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that the peak systolic to diastolic velocity ratio was independently correlated with RF (P <.001) and effective stroke volume (P <.01), with a multiple correlation coefficient of 0.71 (P <.001). In conclusion, reversed pulmonary venous flow in systole is a highly specific and reliable marker of moderately severe or severe MR with an ROA greater than 0.3 cm(2), whereas the normal pattern accurately predicts mild to moderate MR. Blunted pulmonary venous flow can be seen in all grades of MR with low predictive value for severity of MR, especially in the presence of LV dysfunction. The blunted pulmonary venous flow pattern must therefore be interpreted cautiously in clinical practice as a marker for severity of MR.     

Normal pulmonary venous flow characteristics as assessed by transesophageal pulsed Doppler echocardiography.

Twenty-seven subjects without apparent cardiac abnormalities underwent transesophageal echocardiography to evaluate normal Doppler characteristics of pulmonary venous flow. In particular, the effects of normal respiration and straining during the Valsalva maneuver were analyzed. Pulmonary venous flow during systole consisted of one forward flow wave in 15 cases (56%) and of two forward flow waves in 12 cases (44%). In all instances one forward flow wave was seen during early diastole and in 23 subjects (85%) a retrograde wave related to atrial contraction was present. Maximal velocity during systole was 57 +/- 13 cm/sec (mean +/- SD), during early diastole was 58 +/- 19 cm/sec, and during late diastole was 16 +/- 9 cm/sec. Velocity time integral during systole was significantly higher than during early diastole (11.8 +/- 4.9 vs 9.5 +/- 3.9 cm, p < 0.05), while velocity time integral during late diastole was 1.1 +/- 0.7 cm. During normal inspiration both early diastolic velocity and velocity time integral significantly decreased from 59 +/- 15 to 54 +/- 15 cm/sec (p < 0.01) and from 9.5 +/- 3.9 to 8.5 +/- 4.2 cm (p < 0.05), respectively. During normal expiration, systolic and early diastolic velocity time integral significantly increased, from 11.0 +/- 4.1 to 11.8 +/- 4.5 cm (p < 0.001) and from 9.5 +/- 3.9 to 10.1 +/- 4.3 cm (p < 0.05), respectively. Although statistically significant, the differences were small and do not seem of clinical importance. Straining during the Valsalva maneuver, however, obviously decreased pulmonary venous flow velocities. Systolic and early diastolic velocity decreased from 57 +/- 15 to 32 +/- 10 cm/sec and from 59 +/- 18 to 34 +/- 15 cm/sec, respectively, while velocity time integral during systole, early, and late diastole decreased from 12.0 +/- 5.6 to 4.3 +/- 2.6 cm, from 9.9 +/- 4.4 to 5.2 +/- 3.7 cm, and from 1.3 +/- 0.8 to 0.8 +/- 0.7 cm, respectively. In conclusion, pulmonary venous Doppler characteristics can adequately be analyzed with transesophageal echocardiography. Normal respiration only minimally influences pulmonary venous flow velocities in contrast to straining during the Valsalva maneuver; this should be considered when these variables are applied for clinical purposes.     

双平面经食管彩色多普勒评价二尖瓣返流对肺静脉血流的影响

本文应用双平面经食管多普勒测定了２０例正常人和３８例二尖瓣返流（ＭＲ）患者的肺静脉血流频谱，旨在评价不同程度ＭＲ对肺静脉（ＰＶ）回流的影响。结果表明：①与正常组相比，明显ＭＲ组ＰＶ收缩期峰值流速及流速积分显著降低（Ｐ＜０．０２），而舒张期峰值流速及流速积分显著升高（Ｐ＜０．０５及０．０２），且随着ＭＲ程度的加重，上述改变更趋明显；②３８例ＭＲ患者中，２４例记录到ＰＶ收缩期负向波，其中轻度ＭＲ４例（３３．３％），中度ＭＲ７例（７０％），重度ＭＲ１３例（８１．２％），房颤及窦性心律的ＭＲ患者出现ＰＶ负向波的例数无明显差异（１２／１９对１０／１９，Ｐ＝０．３７）；③ＭＲ时，ＰＶ收缩期负向波流速与ＭＲ返流束面积和长度正相关（ｒ分别为０．５１及０．４１，Ｐ＝０．００１和０．０１４），而与ＭＲ最大返流速度及返流压差不相关（Ｐ＞０．０５）。结论：ＭＲ对肺静脉血流具有重要影响，主要是使肺静脉在收缩期的回流减慢甚至出现倒流，后者尤常见于重度ＭＲ者，因此测定肺静脉血流频谱有助于对ＭＲ严重性的估价     

心房颤动患者收缩期肺静脉血流特征的超声研究

目的 探讨心动周期变化对不同病因心房颤动(房颤)患者肺静脉收缩期血流的影响。方法 对照组20例；房颤组74例(非瓣膜病房颤16例，风湿性心脏病二尖瓣轻中度狭窄22例，二尖瓣重度狭窄36例)。应用经食管超声心动图测量肺静脉血流频谱曲线收缩早期逆向R波峰值流速(PVR)和收缩期S波峰值流速(PVS)，分析PVR和PVS与其前心电图R-R间期的关系。结果 所有房颤患者均可检出收缩早期逆向R波，二尖瓣重度狭窄组PVR明显减低，PVR与其前的R-R间期显著负相关；房颤患者的PVS减低，二尖瓣重度狭窄组尤为明显，PVS与其前的RR间期显著正相关。结论 房颤患者的PVR和PVS与其前的RR间期长短密切相关，连续观察PVR和PVS的变化，为动态评价房颤时左心房血流动力学异常提供了重要信息。     

Flow velocity acceleration in the left ventricle: a useful Doppler echocardiographic sign of hemodynamically significant mitral regurgitation

Doppler echocardiography is a sensitive method to detect mitral regurgitation in patients with both native and prosthetic valves. However, estimates of the amount of mitral regurgitation remain semiquantitative, and even severe mitral regurgitation may be underestimated in the presence of markedly eccentric regurgitant jets or acoustic shadowing of the left atrium by mitral or aortic prostheses. This report describes the Doppler findings in 10 patients with severe native valve mitral regurgitation (angiographic grade III or IV) and in 15 patients with severe bioprosthetic mitral regurgitation that required valve replacement. An increase in peak mitral flow velocity above normal values was seen in eight of 10 patients with severe native valve mitral regurgitation (greater than or equal to 130 cm per second) and 11 of 15 patients with severe prosthetic valve mitral regurgitation (greater than or equal to 210 cm per second). One of 10 patients with a native valve and four of 15 patients with a bioprosthetic valve appeared to have only a localized left atrial systolic flow disturbance, incorrectly suggesting that the mitral regurgitation was mild. However, in all patients with severe mitral regurgitation, a low velocity (less than 100 cm per second) flow signal could be recorded in the left ventricle that was directed toward the mitral valve in systole. This flow signal showed a gradual increase in velocity as the sample volume was moved toward the mitral valve, with an abrupt further increase on entry into the left atrium. This signal was continuous with antegrade mitral flow and had the same orientation as mitral regurgitation recorded by continuous wave technique from the apex. A similar flow signal was not recorded in the left ventricle of any individual in a control group of 30 patients who had no mitral regurgitation or who had angiographic grade I or II mitral regurgitation. These findings suggest that acceleration of left ventricle flow toward the mitral valve in systole is only recorded when there is hemodynamically significant mitral regurgitation that is approximately equal to angiographic grade III or IV. Recognition of this Doppler finding may help in the estimation of mitral regurgitation severity, especially in difficult diagnostic situations.     

二尖瓣狭窄患者的下腔静脉口脉冲多普勒超声心动图观察

目的探讨二尖瓣狭窄（二狭）患者下腔静脉回流入右房状态。方法用彩色多普勒超声心动图对７４例二狭患者及３２例对照者沿胸骨右缘纵切探查下腔静脉口的最大内径及血流速度。结果对照组、二狭并轻度三尖瓣返流者（Ⅰ组）、二狭并中度三尖瓣返流者（Ⅱ组）及二狭并重度三尖瓣返流者（Ⅲ组）四组的下腔静脉口内径有显著差异（分别为２０．１±２．４ｍｍ、１７．０±５．９ｍｍ、１６．１±６．２ｍｍ及２７．８±１０．２ｍｍ）。但四组的下腔静脉口峰值血流速度及平均血流速度无明显的差别。简单线性相关分析发现二狭非重度三尖瓣返流者（Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组）的下腔静脉口内径与其峰值血流速度之间呈明显的负相关关系（ｒ＝－０．６２，Ｐ＜０．０１），且下腔静脉口内径与左房内径亦呈明显负相关关系（ｒ＝－０．７１，Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论二狭患者增大的左房可引起下腔静脉口的静脉回流减少     

Right ventricular infarction: recognition and assessment of its hemodynamic significance by two-dimensional echocardiography

To evaluate the ability of two-dimensional echocardiographic indexes to determine the hemodynamic significance of the right ventricular infarction, 24 patients with electrocardiographic evidence of right ventricular infarction were studied. Hemodynamic significance was defined as a jugular venous pressure greater than 17 cm H2O or a right atrial pressure greater than 13 mm Hg. Patients with hemodynamically significant right ventricular infarctions (group I, n = 9) had a 56% incidence of hypotension (blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg) with a mean systolic blood pressure of 93 +/- 23 mm Hg, whereas patients with nonhemodynamically significant right ventricular infarctions (group II, n = 15) had no hypotension and a mean systolic blood pressure of 121 +/- 18 mm Hg (p less than 0.01). The ratio of right atrial to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was 1.1 +/- 0.6 in group I and 0.6 +/- 0.2 in group II (p less than 0.05). Echocardiography demonstrated right ventricular free wall motion abnormalities in seven patients in group I and in 10 patients in group II. The descent of the right ventricular base was 0.7 +/- 0.2 cm in group I, 1.3 +/- 0.4 cm in group II, and 2.0 +/- 0.2 cm in a group of 20 normal control patients (p less than 0.001 for all comparisons). The respiratory caval index (percentage of collapse of the inferior vena cava with inspiration) was 22% +/- 11% in group I, 45% +/- 15% in group II, and 64% +/- 17% in the control subjects (p less than 0.05 for all comparisons).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Reversal of the pattern of respiratory variation of Doppler inflow velocities in constrictive pericarditis during mechanical ventilation.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous inspiration causes a characteristic decrease of the mitral valve (MV) and pulmonary venous (PV) flow velocities obtained by Doppler echocardiography in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP). This has been explained by the decrement it causes in the intrathoracic pressure. Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) causes an increment of intrathoracic pressure with mechanical inspiration. Therefore the pattern of respiratory variation produced during PPV may differ from that seen during spontaneous breathing. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to describe the effect of PPV on the pattern and magnitude of respiratory variation of MV and PV flow velocities in CP. METHODS: We performed intraoperative pulsed Doppler transesophageal echocardiography on 15 patients (13 men, mean age 52+/-15 years) with CP after general anesthesia and before sternotomy and pericardial stripping. The peak velocity and time-velocity integral (TVI) of the mitral inflow E and A waves and the PV systolic and diastolic waves were measured at onset of inspiration and expiration for 3 to 6 respiratory cycles. Respiratory phase was monitored with a heat-sensitive nasal thermistor. The percent change in Doppler flow velocities from mechanical inspiration (INS) to mechanical expiration (EXP) was calculated with the formula %change = INS - EXP / INS x 100. RESULTS: The peak velocity of the mitral inflow E wave was significantly higher during mechanical inspiration than expiration (57 +/-14.5 versus 47+/-13.9 cm/s, P<.001). This represented a percent change of 18%+/-7.9% from expiration to inspiration. The mean TVI of the mitral inflow E was also higher during mechanical inspiration than expiration (P = .02). The peak velocity of the PV D wave was higher during mechanical inspiration than expiration (39+/-17.8 versus 28+/-14.7 cm/s, P<.001). This represented a mean percent change of 28%+/-13.8%. The mean value of the TVI for the PV D wave was also significantly greater during mechanical inspiration than expiration (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Positive pressure ventilation reverses the pattern of respiratory variation of the MV and PV flow velocities in CP. The percent change in the peak velocities of the MV and PV flows produced by PPV is the same range reported in CP during spontaneous breathing.     

Evaluation of mitral regurgitation by pulmonary venous blood flow patterns. Relation to angiographic and haemodynamic parameters in subgroups of patients

Summary. Objectives: to study the relationship between pulmonary venous systolic flow fraction (PVSFfr) recorded using pulsed Doppler transesophageal echocardiography and angiographic grading and haemodynamic parameters in subgroups of patients with mitral regurgitation. Background: reversed systolic pulmonary venous flow is a sensitive sign of severe mitral regurgitation. Scarse data are available regarding the effects of atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease. Methods: PVSFfr was calculated as the systolic flow velocity integral divided by the total inflow integral. PVSFfr is negative when systolic flow is dominantly reversed. 111 patients were studied. Results: PVSFfr<0 was 91% sensitive for angiographic severe mitral regurgitation (MR) (specificity 75%). In patients with sinus rhytm and without coronary artery disease the sensivity was 100% and specificity was 86% (n= 25). PVSFfr correlated to angiographic grade (r= -0.63, P= 0.0001), mean PCW (r= -0.63, P= 0.0001), v-wave (r=-0.72, P= 0.0001), systolic blood pressure (r= 0.28, P= 0.003) and left atrial diameter (r= -0.42, P= 0.0001) (n= 111). Stepwise linear regression analysis revealed the v-wave, angiographic grading, left atrial diameter and systolic blood pressure to be independent predictors of PVSFfr. Subgroup analysis revealed a correlation (r= 0.85, n= 25) between angiographic grading and PVSFfr in patients with sinus rhythm without CAD and (r= 0.35, n= 23) in patients with CAD in atrial fibrillation. Conclusions: PVSFfr is valuable in assessing mitral regurgitation. In the presence of atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease the correlation with angiographic grading decreases indicating the dynamic nature of this valvular lesion.     

Influence of Doppler sample volume location on the assessment of changes in mitral inflow velocity profiles

Previous studies that have validated Doppler indexes of mitral inflow have used pulsed wave sample volume locations either at the level of the mitral valve anulus or at the tips of the mitral valve leaflets. Although significant differences between absolute values for peak velocities and velocity time integrals at these sample volume locations have previously been reported, no information exists that has compared changes in inflow profiles after an intervention to improve left ventricular filling. To address this question, 13 patients with severe pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary artery pressure, 50 +/- 13 mm Hg) caused by chronic thromboembolic disease were studied with use of Doppler echocardiography immediately before and after surgical reduction of pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary vascular resistance decreased from 916 +/- 413 to 233 +/- 89 dynes.sec.cm5). This clinical model has been shown to have abnormal mitral inflow velocity profiles that improve markedly after surgery. Doppler measures of early and late peak velocities were significantly lower both before and after surgery when sampling at the mitral anulus compared with the leaflet tips, although late filling parameters and the deceleration of early flow velocity tended to differ little. With surgery, the significant increase in peak early velocity and the ratio of early to late velocity was present regardless of the sample volume location (peak E at leaflet tips, 47.1 +/- 16.0 to 68.9 +/- 15.4 [p less than 0.001], and at anulus, 40.7 +/- 11.3 to 56.2 +/- 14.6 cm/sec [p less than 0.001]; peak E/A at leaflet tips, 0.95 +/- 0.4 to 1.55 +/- 0.9, and at anulus, 0.78 +/- 0.3 to 1.32 +/- 0.7 [both p less than 0.02]).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

An unusual cause of diastolic mitral regurgitation as a result of sterile perforation of the mitral valve.

We report the case of a 50-year-old man in whom a supracristal ventricular septal defect led to aortic regurgitation and, thus, to consecutive sterile perforation of the anterior mitral leaflet, culminating in the development of severe systolic and diastolic mitral regurgitation. Aortic regurgitation as a result of valve prolapse caused by a supracristal (conal) ventricular septal defect is a well-known phenomenon. The same is true for the origin of mitral jet lesions in patients with infective endocarditis of the aortic valve. As of yet, there have been no reports about the acquisition of mitral valve perforations in patients without the history of vegetations. Moreover, the occurrence of diastolic mitral regurgitation is usually associated with atrioventricular pressure reversal, a phenomenon that was not present in our patient. The unique comorbidity was easy to detect with Doppler echocardiography, supported by transesophageal 2-dimensional and dynamic 3-dimensional echocardiography for preoperative surgical treatment.     

Prosthetic mitral regurgitation can be mimicked by Doppler color flow mapping: avoiding misdiagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to characterize a region of apparent systolic flow resembling mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with mechanical disk mitral prostheses as artifact. BACKGROUND: Diagnosing MR in the presence of mechanical prostheses is challenging. Occasionally, important MR is suggested by a substantial region of systolic Doppler color flow in an acoustically shadowed region of the left atrium when, in fact, only trace MR exists. We hypothesized this pseudo-MR is caused by acoustic mirroring of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) flow by sound reflected off the prosthesis, projecting flow into the left atrium because of longer transit time. METHODS: We reviewed 19 patients with mechanical mitral valves and trace MR by transesophageal echocardiography who had transthoracic echocardiography studies within 1 week (group A), and prospectively studied 22 consecutive patients by transthoracic echocardiography with subtle transducer angulation variation to detect pseudo-MR and characterize it by pulsed Doppler (group B). RESULTS: In group A, 12 of 19 patients had evidence of pseudo-MR on review of their transthoracic echocardiograms, absent by transesophageal echocardiography. In group B, this pseudo-MR signal was present in 13 of 22 patients, with velocity and timing by pulsed Doppler comparable with LVOT flow (onset at 125 +/- 27 milliseconds vs 135 +/- 11 milliseconds from QRS, P = not significant). The angle between the mitral plane and the LVOT, which determines whether this mirroring can occur, was smaller for patients with pseudo-MR. CONCLUSION: Artifactual pseudo-MR is often seen with mechanical mitral prostheses. Its behavior and sensitivity to geometric relationships are consistent with mirroring of LVOT flow. Practically, potential misdiagnosis can be readily avoided by pulsed Doppler sampling, sparing the patient further procedures.     

Doppler assessment of pulmonary venous flow in healthy subjects and in patients with heart disease

Pulmonary venous flow as assessed by Doppler echocardiography is a current topic of investigation. Pulmonary venous flow has been used recently as part of a comprehensive assessment of left ventricular diastolic filling dynamics in restrictive myocardial diseases and constrictive pericarditis. Abnormalities of flow have been described in dilated cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, and arrhythmias. With the advent of transesophageal echocardiography, pulmonary venous flow can be readily obtained in all patients by pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography. Recently, it has been used to assess the severity of mitral regurgitation and to estimate mean left atrial pressure. This article emphasizes the utility, physiology, and technique of measuring pulmonary venous flow with Doppler echocardiography in health and in disease.     

Regurgitant flow in apparently normal valve prostheses: improved detection and semiquantitative analysis by transesophageal two-dimensional color-coded Doppler echocardiography

In 128 patients with apparently normally functioning prosthetic valves (n = 136) in the aortic position (n = 79) and the mitral position (n = 57), the prevalence of transprosthetic regurgitant flow was studied by use of transthoracic and transesophageal two-dimensional color-coded Doppler echocardiography. With the transthoracic approach, regurgitant flow was detected in early systole or diastole for 28% of the mitral prostheses and for 29% of the aortic prostheses. With transesophageal color-coded Doppler echocardiography, regurgitant jets were visualized for 95% of the mitral prostheses and for 44% of the aortic prostheses. In 40% of the Bj?rk-Shiley prostheses and 88% of the St. Jude Medical prostheses in the mitral position, more than one jet with an eccentric origin was detected, whereas in bioprostheses only one centrally localized regurgitant jet was noted. The regurgitant jet length was 22 +/- 2 mm in mitral prostheses and 12 +/- 2 mm in aortic prostheses. The jet area was 154 +/- 31 mm2 in mitral prostheses and 61 +/- 26 mm2 in aortic prostheses. Jets of this size and frequency have to be considered a normal finding and the equivalent of regurgitant flow known from in vitro studies. We conclude that only transesophageal color-coded Doppler echocardiography seems to be a reliable method for following up mitral valve prostheses to detect and differentiate regurgitant jets. For aortic valve prostheses the advantage of transesophageal color-coded Doppler echocardiography does not seem to be as obvious as the advantage for mitral prostheses.     

Pulmonary hypertension in aortic regurgitation: early surgical outcome

A review of the haemodynamic data of 139 patients with isolated, severe, chronic aortic regurgitation revealed severe pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary artery systolic pressure of greater than or equal to 60 mmHg) in 34 (24 per cent). The left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was high in all patients, suggesting that pulmonary hypertension was a consequence of severe long-standing regurgitation with ventricular dysfunction. Aortic valve replacement was performed in 69 patients, 33 of whom had normal or mildly elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (less than 39 mmHg; group I) and 36 of whom had moderate or markedly elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressures (less than 40 mmHg; group II). There was no difference in mortality or prevalence of post-operative complications between these two groups of patients. Furthermore, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class and cardiothoracic ratio were similar in both groups at the six-month assessment. The pulmonary vascular resistance fell from 4.7 +/- 3.5 to 1.5 +/- 0.8 units x m2 in 13 of 17 patients who had repeat catheterization after surgery. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure reverted to normal in 10 of these 13 patients. It is concluded that pulmonary hypertension consequent upon raised left ventricular end-diastolic pressure is common in severe aortic regurgitation, is largely reversible, and does not influence the early outcome after aortic valve replacement.     

Pulmonary venous flow in cardiac tamponade: influence of left ventricular dysfunction and the relation to pulsus paradoxus.

The pattern of left atrial filling was studied in nine closed-chest dogs during cardiac tamponade before and after production of microembolic left ventricular dysfunction produced by intracoronary injection of 54 +/- 4 microns (SD) microspheres. With cardiac tamponade, a significant increase in the ratio of systolic/diastolic pulmonary venous flow velocity integral both before (1.65 +/- 0.24 versus 2.77 +/- 0.43 [SE], p less than 0.05) and after production of left ventricular dysfunction (0.57 +/- 0.12 versus 1.77 +/- 0.44, p less than 0.05) was seen. Compared with baseline, cardiac tamponade caused a significant inspiratory decrease in systolic pulmonary venous velocity both before (7.3 +/- 2.0 versus 1.2 +/- 1.4 cm/sec) and after left ventricular dysfunction (3.4 +/- 0.4 versus 1.0 +/- 0.9 cm/sec, both p less than 0.05). The magnitude of respiratory variation (expiration-inspiration) of the pulmonary venous flow velocity integral with tamponade was significantly greater before than after left ventricular dysfunction (1.6 +/- 0.2 cm versus 0.8 +/- 0.2 cm, p less than 0.05). A significant correlation was found between the inspiratory fall in aortic systolic pressure and the flow velocity integral of pulmonary venous flow before left ventricular dysfunction (r = 0.58, p less than 0.05). After coronary embolization, neither pulsus paradoxus nor significant respiratory variation (expiration-inspiration) of the pulmonary venous flow integral was observed with cardiac tamponade. In this model of cardiac tamponade and left ventricular dysfunction, left atrial filling occurs predominantly during ventricular systole. These changes may be helpful in recognizing hemodynamically significant pericardial effusion and have implications for the pathophysiology of cardiac tamponade.     

Mitral regurgitation and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction similarly affect mitral and pulmonary vein flow Doppler parameters: the advantage of end-diastolic markers.

Enhanced early mitral flow and reduced systolic pulmonary vein flow may be caused both by increased left ventricular pressure as the result of diastolic dysfunction and by increased transmitral flow as the result of mitral regurgitation. Nevertheless, Doppler parameters are widely used to predict left ventricular filling pressure. We aimed to analyze the interference of mitral regurgitation with Doppler parameters usually used to estimate left ventricular filling pressure and to identify markers independent of mitral regurgitation, which could reliably estimate increased left ventricular filling pressure. Eighty-four patients (age, 62 +/- 9 years; 82% men) had a complete echocardiographic Doppler examination. Transmitral E- and A-wave velocity, E deceleration time and A duration, pulmonary vein systolic and diastolic velocities, and reversal flow duration and maximal and minimal left atrial volumes were measured. The difference between the duration of pulmonary vein and mitral A waves was calculated (A'-A). Mitral regurgitant volume was quantitatively assessed by echocardiography. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was measured invasively. Patients had a wide range of left ventricular ejection fraction (14% to 70%), mitral regurgitant volume (0 to 94 mL), and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (3 to 37 mm Hg). E velocity, E/A, pulmonary vein systolic and diastolic, and systo-diastolic ratios were significantly and independently correlated with both left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and mitral regurgitant volume. A'-A showed a strong correlation with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.70; P <.0001), but the relation with mitral regurgitant volume was not significant (r = 0.19; P =.08). Mitral regurgitation affects the majority of Doppler parameters widely used to predict filling pressure but does not influence Ad'-Ad, which proved to be the strongest predictor of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure.