Non-invasive diagnosis of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm by pulsed Doppler echocardiography.

Six cases of ruptured aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva into the right ventricle, including two post-operative patients with residual murmurs have been reported. Complete diagnosis, including that of residual and associated defects, was made non-invasively using cross-sectional and pulsed Doppler echocardiographic studies. The exact site of rupture was localized by a continuous flow signal in the right ventricle. The diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography in each case.