Echocardiographic pattern of motion of the aortic root as a correlate of left atrial volume changes

The movement of the aortic root under resting conditions was analyzed echographically in 82 patients (32 were postoperative examinations of Björk-Shiley aortic and/or mitral valve prostheses). Additionally, ECG, PCG, carotid pulse curve or apexcardiogram were recorded simultaneously in the majority of the cases. In view of the time correlation between these noninvasive parameters, the results clearly show that both ventrally and dorsally directed motions of the aortic root during the cardiac cycle only reflect the change in volume of the left atrium. Thus aortic root motion might, if at all, be an indirect index of left ventricular stroke volume and only so if sinus rhythm is present and no mitral insufficiency or atrial septum defect exist.