[Chronology of maximal surface area and peak velocities of left heart valve flow jets using Doppler imaging. Clinical implications].

The aim of this study was to correlate the timing of the maximal surface area of the jet recorded by color flow Doppler and the peak velocities recorded by continuous mode Doppler with reference to the ECG R wave to determine whether standardisation of the chronologies of measurements was possible. A comparative paired study of these two parameters was undertaken in 44 subjects who had 55 left heart valvular lesions, all in sinus rhythm and, in cases of regurgitation, with pansystolic or pandiastolic regurgitant flow. The jets were examined in the inflow chambers of valvular insufficiency and at the origin of the jet in the short axis for stenotic lesions and aortic regurgitation, with planimetry of the cross sectional area in color Doppler. The correlation coefficient was 0.85 for aortic stenosis, 0.96 for mitral stenosis, 0.84 for aortic regurgitation but only 0.10 for mitral regurgitation. The mean values of the two chronologies were identical for stenotic lesions and did not differ significantly in regurgitation even at the mitral valve. However, the individual differences between the two chronologies exceeded 20 ms in 63% of aortic and 91% of mitral regurgitations. The maximal surface areas of the jets of 45% of aortic regurgitant and 91% of mitral regurgitant lesions were recorded between the onset of regurgitation and the peak jet velocity. The differences in chronology of the two parameters studied in cases of valvular regurgitation indicate the multifactorial nature of color flow jet imaging, probably associated with individual physiopathological variations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)