Quantification of Eccentric Mitral Regurgitation by Regurgitant Volume

To investigate and verify that real-time 3-dimensional (RT-3D) color Doppler is capable of quantifying the eccentric miral regurgitation (MR) by computing regurgitant volume (RV). 34 patients (mean age 37.13 plusmn 18.28 years) with confirmed eccentric MR were undergone RT-3D echocardiography. By the spatial and temporal integration of the cross-sectional velocity distribution of regurgitant valve, the systolic RV can be evaluated. Then RV were applied to assessing the severity of eccentric MR and compared with the jet volume (JV) and the vena contracta width (VCW) immediately measured. In 34 patients, 2 patients were graded as mild, 16 patients as moderate, and 16 patients as severe. Our RV measurements have good correlation with JV(r=0.9453) and VCW(r=0.8829) respectively. RT-3D color Doppler echocardiography was capable of quantifying the RV of the eccentric MR.