[Validation of total ejection isovolume index measurement by continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography]

We evaluated the validity of total ejection isovolume (TEI) index measurement by continuous wave Doppler method in 82 patients with various heart diseases. Validity was evaluated by correlation and regression analyses of the values measured by the continuous wave Doppler method and those recorded by the standard pulsed Doppler method. In addition, we also studied the effect on left ventricular dilatation, which may account for a difference between the values obtained by the pulsed Doppler and continuous wave Doppler methods. Our results showed a good correlation between the TEI indices measured by the continuous wave Doppler method and those recorded by the pulsed Doppler method. However, a significant constant systematic error was observed, and the value obtained by the continuous wave Doppler method was larger. Therefore, while it is possible to measure TEI index using the continuous wave Doppler method, evaluation criteria different from those adopted in the pulsed Doppler method may have to be used. Left ventricular dilatation has little influence on the difference between the two methods.