Determination of pressure gradient in the Hancock mitral valve from noninvasive ultrasound Doppler data

Abstract

The accuracy with which the pressure gradient in the Hancock mitral valve can be determined from noninvasive ultrasound Doppler data was explored in a study of eight adult patients. The mean manometric pressure gradient (delta PM) was determined by performing simultaneous left atrial and left ventricular catheterization. The mean diastolic pressure gradient was also determined from noninvasive ultrasound data (delta PU). Identical cardiac cycles were used to compare delta PM and delta PU. In the eight patients delta PM ranged from 3.0 to 9.0 mmHg and cardiac output from 3.7 to 5.5 l/min. The difference delta PM-delta PU was 0.3 +/- 0.9 mmHg (mean +/- SD). The results thus indicated that noninvasive ultrasound can determine the mean diastolic gradient in the Hancock mitral valve with an accuracy which approaches that attained with conventional manometric methods.