Role of echocardiography in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with mitral regurgitation.

The diagnosis of mitral regurgitation is often made from physical diagnosis, but quantitation of severity of valvular dysfunction and timing of intervention are often quite challenging. The purpose of this review is to examine the recent echocardiographic methods reported for quantitative assessment of mitral regurgitation, and the role of echocardiography in guiding medical and surgical management. Refinement of quantitative methods and development of newer technologies, including three-dimensional echocardiography, provide more accurate assessment of mitral anatomy and function. These methods for evaluation of the mitral valve to ascertain etiology or mechanism have important implications for medical or surgical management. This review summarizes the recent literature addressing the role of echocardiography in the diagnosis, management and prognosis of mitral regurgitation.