[Quantitative Doppler echocardiography in the evaluation of heart diseases].

Doppler ultrasound is an established noninvasive method in cardiology. The most important indications are: 1. stenosis/insufficiencies of atrioventricular/semilunar valves, 2. dysfunction of artificial valves, 3. atrial and ventricular septal defects, 4. intraventricular pressure gradients, e.g. in hypertensive cardiomyopathy, 5. determination of the systolic pulmonary artery pressure. Color Doppler and pulsed wave Doppler as mainly used for quantitative and semiquantitative-, continuous wave Doppler mainly for quantitative analyses. Doppler it can be obtained qualitative and semiquantitative, from continuous wave Doppler quantitative information about the velocity of blood flow.