[Quantifying aortic valve insufficiency by digital subtraction aortography]

The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) to the quantification of aortic valve regurgitation in 21 patients undergoing heart catheterization. The digital image subtraction was used for densitometric evaluation. The regurgitation was derived from the distribution of contrast volumes during diastole in aortic and left ventricular "regions of interest". DSA-measurements were compared with results of conventional cineangiography. Results showed the following correlation between DSA measurements and cineangiographic estimates (grades I-III): regurgitation 1.7-9.8% in grade I (n = 11), 8.9-22.3% in grade II (n = 5), 31.7 and 32.5% in grade II-III (n = 2), 37-42.4% in grade III (n = 3). DSA and digital densitometry seem to be valuable methods for the quantification of regurgitation. Concerning quantitative measurements in left heart catheterization the digital subtraction aortography is superior to conventional cineangiography and will be helpful to characterize patients with aortic regurgitation more completely.