Abstract
Continuous wave (C.W.) doppler echocardiography can non-invasively estimate pressure gradients across stenotic cardiac valves. In order to assess validity and feasibility of noninvasive C.W. doppler pressure measurement in children with congenital heart disease, we studied 12 patients (pts.) with pulmonary artery bands (PAB). Simultaneous C.W. doppler and catheter pressure gradients across the PABs were obtained in each pt. Five males and 7 females were aged from 6 months to 26 years (mean 5.6 years). The great arteries were normally related in 6 pts, L-malposed in 4 and D-malposed in 2. Maximal peak C.W. doppler velocity measurements were recorded from either suprasternal, parasternal or subcostal positions using a 2 MHz Pedof non-imaging tranducer. C.W. doppler pressure gradients (Δ P) was calculated using ΔP = 4 V2 where V=maximum velocity in meters/sec. C.W. doppler gradients ranged from 23 to 92 mm Hg (mean=64 mm Hg) and simultaneous peak catheterization gradients from 30 to 94 mm Hg (mean=63 mm Hg). C.W. doppler underestimated catheterization gradients in 5 cases by from 2 to 11 mm Hg (mean=8 mm Hg) and overestimated catheterization in 7 cases by from 1 to 20 mm Hg (mean=8 mm Hg). C.W. doppler can accurately and noninvasively measure PAB gradients in children with various congenital lesions. This may avoid repeated catheterization in selected cases.
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Fyfe, D., Hagler, D., Currie, P. et al. NONINVASIVE EVALUATION OF PULMONARY ARTERY BAND GRADIENTS BY CONTINUOUS WAVE DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 122 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00174
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00174