[Strategy for quantification of valvular regurgitations by Doppler echocardiography]

Of all the diagnostic facilities offered by ultrasound in cardiology, clinicians often pause one question: how can valvular regurgitation be quantified by Doppler echocardiography? The large number of articles which have been published in the international literature indicates that there is no simple answer. The aim of this paper is two-fold: firstly, to review the different approaches and underlying "philosophies" and, secondly, to set out a practical strategy for the investigation of the two most important regurgitations, mitral and aortic. The authors conclude this technical presentation with an essential word of caution in the interpretation of the data: concordance of the different indices of severity and clinical coherence of the criteria of evaluation.