Ultrasound examination of stenotic mitral valves: an in vitro study.

To determine the feasibility of currently used, intravascular ultrasound catheters (12.5 and 20 MHz, 6F and 9F, Boston Scientific Corp., Watertown, MA) for mitral valve disease, ten excised mitral valves from patients with severe mitral stenosis were examined. The specimens were fixed in a glass cylinder perfused with water. The valves were planimetered with the intravascular ultrasound system and investigated regarding pathomorphological changes. The depth field of penetration was between 1.5 and 2 cm (3 to 4 cm diameter) in the 20 MHz catheter and between 2 and 2.5 cm (4 to 5 cm diameter) in the 12.5 MHz catheter. A good correlation of the experimentally recorded valve areas could be ascertained with the Gorlin formula (r = .71, P < .05), the Doppler echocardiography method (r = .69, time method (r = .75, p < .05), and with the two-dimensional echocardiography method (r = .69, P < .05). These results show a sufficient feasibility of the currently used, intravascular ultrasound catheters and enable further steps to be taken with regard to evaluating mitral valve morphology in vivo.