Initial diastolic indentation of the mitral valve in aortic insufficiency.

An abnormal diastolic indentation of the mitral valve has been noted on short-axis two-dimensional echocardiograms in patients with aortic insufficiency. In order to assess the clinical usefulness of this finding, we reviewed the echocardiograms of 18 patients with this lesion who had undergone cineaortography. Results were compared with those of a control group of 100 patients. Initial diastolic indentation of the anterior mitral leaflet occurred in 8 of 12 patients with 3+ to 4+ aortic insufficiency. None of the patients with lesser regurgitation and no patients from the control group demonstrated this pattern. The presence of this abnormality appears to be a specific indicator of critical aortic insufficiency.