Abstract
The most common objective assessments of mitral regurgitation are limited by their invasive or semiquantitative nature. Recent attempts at correlation with jet size from Doppler flow maps have failed to produce a direct measure of regurgitant volume and are fundamentally limited by the dependence of jet dimensions on factors other than flow volume. The purpose of this paper was to develop an equation, based on the physics of turbulent regurgitant jets, for calculating regurgitant volume from quantities that can be measured by Doppler ultrasound. The result is an equation for flow rate Q as a function of orifice velocity U 0, a downstream centerline velocity U m and the intervening distance x: Q = πU m 2x 2 160U 0 . This equation can also be modified to obtain total regurgitant volume in clinical pulsatile flow. The assumptions made demand a free turbulent jet for which momentum is conserved, but should otherwise be physiologically applicable. The advantage of this technique compared to correlations with jet size are its theoretical justification and ability to quantify regurgitant volume directly.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
