[The use of the proximal acceleration method in cases of incompetence of the right atrioventricular valve].

BACKGROUND

Quantitation of valvular regurgitation remains an important goal in cardiology. It has been described previously that using color Doppler flow mapping, measurements of apparent jet size do not correlate always closely with quantitative regurgitant indexes. Recently the proximal flow convergence method has been proposed to quantify valvular regurgitation by analysis of the converging flow field proximal to a regurgitant lesion. Assuming hemispherical convergence, peak flow rate Qp can be calculated as Qp = 2 pi r2Va, where Va is the aliasing velocity at a distance r from the orifice. For maximal accuracy, previously validated correction factors must be used to account for the flattening effect of the isovelocity contours close to the orifice and for the actual sector angle subtended by the valve leaflets (alpha) to yield a flow rate formula Qp = 2 pi r2Va (Vp/Vp-Va) (alpha/180), where Vp is the orifice velocity obtained by continuous wave Doppler.

METHODS

In 45 patients (35 in sinus rhythm, 10 with atrial fibrillation) with tricuspid regurgitation, regurgitant stroke volume, regurgitant flow rate were calculated using the proximal flow convergence method and compared with values obtained by the Doppler two-dimensional echocardiographic method.

RESULTS

Regurgitant stroke volumes (SV) calculated by the proximal flow convergence method correlated very closely with values obtained by the Doppler two-dimensional method with r = 0.95 (y = 0.94x + 0.99) and delta SV = -0.3 +/- 5.2 cm3. Regurgitant flow rates (Q) calculated by both methods showed a similar correlation: r = 0.96 (y = 0.97x + 45) and delta Q = 1.6 +/- 4.29 cm3/min. All correlations were slightly better for the group of patients in sinus rhythm.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that the proximal flow convergence method is an accurate and reproducible technique for quantifying tricuspid regurgitation. While improvements of this method are to be expected, flow calculations based on the proximal flow field show excellent results and appear appropriate for clinical use.