M-Mode Echocardiographic Systolic Motion Patterns of the Aortic Valve: Clinical-Echocardiographic Correlates

Abstract

In order to characterize the various M-mode echocardiographic patterns of abnormal aortic cusp systolic motion and to delineate the clinical-echocardiographic correlates of these abnormal motion patterns, M-mode aortic valve echograms of 313 adult and pediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterization were reviewed retrospectively. These patients represented a wide spectrum of congenital and acquired cardiac disease. All echocardiographic studies of the cardiac valves were performed in the standard manner on a commercially available echograph (Picker) with a 2.25 mHz collimated transducer. Fifty-six patients (18%) of the study population demonstrated prominent systolic preclosure of the aortic valve. Certain echocardiographic parameters of the timing of preclosure events (onset preclosure/LVET and completion preclosure/LVET), rate of preclosure (slope), and vertical magnitude of preclosure (preclosure index: PI) were measured to sharpen qualitative impressions of aortic cusp systolic preclosure patterns. Three types of systolic preclosure were identified. (Table 1).