Assessment of propagation velocity by contrast echocardiography for standardization of color Doppler propagation velocity measurements

• DOI: 10.1016/j.echo.2004.08.028
• Publication Date: 2004-11-23T22:09:16Z
• Authors: Yoshihiro Seo; Toshiyuki Ishimitsu; Tomoko Ishizu; Kenichi Obara; Naoko Moriyama; Satoru Kawano; Shigeyuki Watanabe; Iwao Yamaguchi
• Keywords: Color doppler; Aliasing; Inflow

Color Doppler propagation velocity (Vp) (color-Vp) has not yet been standardized, although it should be able to specifically reflect the intraventricular movements of left ventricular (LV) inflow. Because contrast echocardiography can depict a specified flow, we used this modality to standardize measurements of color-Vp of LV inflow.We performed contrast echocardiographic examinations in 100 patients (70 men, 30 women; age 53 +/- 12 years). Four types of color-Vp were measured: by the flow wave front method and by aliasing method using 3 aliasing velocity levels based on the peak velocity of early diastolic flow of transmitral flow. We also determined contrast echocardiographic Vp by M-mode imaging of LV inflow (contrast-Vp).Contrast-Vp and all 4 types of color-Vp could be compared in 86 patients. Contrast-Vp was significantly lower than color-Vp ( P < .01), except for color-Vp measured at the aliasing level 50% > peak velocity of early diastolic flow >/= 40% (color-Vp 40). A close relationship was observed between contrast-Vp and color-Vp 40 ( r = 0.801, P < .0001). Contrast-Vp and color-Vp 40 showed high ability to detect abnormal transmitral flow patterns according to receiver operating characteristics curves (area under curve for contrast-Vp, 0.94; for color-Vp 40, 0.90).Our results should be useful in standardization of color-Vp measurement to specifically reflect propagation of the fluid elements derived from LV inflow, with ability to distinguish LV filling abnormalities.