Clinical utility of Doppler ultrasound in cardiac diseases.

During the past decade Doppler echocardiography has evolved to an extent that it has become a major noninvasive tool for cardiac evaluation in both acquired and congenital heart disease. This article describes current applications of Doppler techniques in the evaluation of cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics. The principles and methods employed in the use of Doppler echocardiography are described and illustrated for assessment and quantitation of flow velocities, pressure gradients, valve areas, valve regurgitation, stroke volume, cardiac output, cardiac shunts, and diastolic filling indices. The increasing accuracy of these applications has led to a substantial reduction in the need for invasive diagnostic methods, such as cardiac catheterization, especially in patients where frequent follow-up evaluations are indicated.