Limitations in the echocardiographic assessment of aortic root dimensions in the presence of aortic valve disease.

Aortic root M-mode echocardiograms were evaluated in 79 patients who had aortic valve replacement. Echocardiographic measurements of aortic root dimensions correlated poorly with surgical estimates. Inclusion of a portion of the sinuses of Valsalva in the former set of estimates probably accounts for this discrepancy.