Oscillation of left ventricular structures in aortic regurgitation

High-frequency diastolic oscillation of the anterior mitral leaflet is a common echocardiographic feature in aortic regurgitation. We have studied a group of 56 patients with aortic regurgitation in whom oscillation of the anterior mitral leaflet was present. Thirty-one of these had similar diastolic oscillation of the posterior leaflet; occasional patients demonstrated oscillation of the interventricular septum or chordae tendineae. The presence of these diastolic oscillations did not correlate with the presence of the Austin-Flint murmur. We conclude that diastolic oscillation of left ventricular structures other than the anterior mitral leaflet can be recorded on echocardiograms of patients with aortic regurgiationmthe mechanism responsible for these oscillations is not known; several possibilities are discussed.