REPRODUCIBILITY OF DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC QUANTIFICATION OF AORTIC AND MITRAL-VALVE STENOSES - COMPARISON BETWEEN 2 ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY CENTERS

Doppler echocardiography has been widely used as a noninvasive method to quantify valvular heart diseases. This study assessed the variability between 2 echocardiography centers concerning 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic results in the quantification of mitral and aortic valve stenoses. Forty-two patients were studied by 2 different echocardiography centers in a blinded, independent fashion. In patients with aortic and mitral valve stenosis, mean and maximal flow velocities were measured. The aortic valve orifice area was calculated according to the continuity equation. Mitral valve orifice area was determined by direct planimetry and by pressure half-time. In patients with an aortic valve stenosis, a close relation between the 2 centers was found for the maximal and mean flow velocities (coefficient of correlation, r = 0.72 to 0.92; coefficient of variation, 3.7 to 7.7%). A close correlation and a small observer variability was found for the flow velocity ratio determined by flow velocities measured in the left ventricular outflow tract and over the stenotic valve (r = 0.88; coefficient of variation, 0.01 +/- 0.009). In contrast, there was a poor correlation between the diameter of the left ventricular outflow tract and the aortic orifice area (r = 0.36 and 0.59, respectively). In patients with a mitral valve stenosis, mean and maximal velocities were closely correlated (r = 0.85 and 0.77, respectively). Velocities were not found to be significantly different between the 2 centers. Variability between the 2 centers for the mitral valve orifice area was 9.8% (2-dimensional echocardiography) and 5.7% (pressure half-time). These results underline the accuracy and excellent reproducibility of Doppler echocardiographic measurements in patients with aortic and mitral valve stenoses. In patients with an aortic valve stenosis, the flow velocity ratio is the most observer- and machine-independent parameter.