[Quantification of chronic aortic insufficiency. Comparison between Doppler ultrasonic diagnosis and the...

The objective of this study is to quantify aortic insufficiency by comparing pulsated Doppler ultrasonography and radiocardiography used as reference test. Since february 1986, 23 patients were tested with both techniques within 15 days. The Doppler ultrasonography enabled to quantify aortic insufficiency in 4 stages by semi-quantitative mapping of the regurgitation flow of the left ventricle (LV). Radiocardiography (RCG) has enabled the determination of the regurgitation fraction (RF), for each patient. A mean RF was calculated on RCG, for each Doppler stage. The FR difference between each Doppler stage is significant, especially between minimal and severe aortic insufficiency. RCG is the first stage of an isotopic examination, at rest and during stress; it may be followed by Doppler ultrasonography in monitoring patients with aortic insufficiency.