Color flow mapping in ventricular septal defect: correlation of hemodynamic data and shunt flow area.

To evaluate the efficacy of two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography in assessing the severity of isolated ventricular septal defect, 31 children were studied within 24 hours of cardiac catheterization. The shunt flow area at peak systole (PSFA), diastole (DFA) and end-diastole (EDFA) and maximal shunt flow area (MSFA) were measured with frame-by-frame technique and corrected with body surface area and heart rate. The Qp/Qs ratio was calculated by the Fick's principle. Simultaneous pressures at peak systole (PSP), diastole (DP) and end-diastole (EDP) were recorded in the left (LV) and right ventricle (RV). The Qp/Qs ratio was correlated well with MFA (p = 0.05), MFA/BSA (p less than 0.001), PSFA/BSA (p less than 0.001), MFA/HR (p less than 0.05), MFA/BSA, HR (p less than 0.001), PSFA/BSA and HR (p,0.001). The PSP gradient between LV and RV was inversely correlated with MFA/BSA and PSFA/BSA (p less than 0.05) and HR (p less than 0.05). Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography can provide a useful information of hemodynamic changes in children with isolated ventricular septal defect.