Quantification of transvalvular pressure differences in aortic stenosis by Doppler ultrasound

The transvalvular pressure difference in 58 consecutive patients with valvular aortic stenosis was calculated from maximal aortic jet velocity measured by continuous wave Doppler ultrasound within 24 hr of cardiac catheterization. An adequate Doppler registration was obtained in 50 patients (86%), and no patient was excluded from the study because of a non-ideal registration. For the total series of patients, a correlation coefficient r = 0.85 between Doppler-calculated and invasively measured pressure differences was obtained, and for the 6 patients examined simultaneously by the two methods a correlation coefficient r = 0.91 was obtained. These results confirm that Doppler ultrasound is a useful method for quantification of the pressure difference across the valve in aortic stenosis. Together with other non-invasive measures, Doppler ultrasound is a valuable aid in the evaluation of patients with suspected aortic stenosis.