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Regurgitant Blood Flow: Aortic Insufficiency

Aortic insufficiency (AI) is visible from the apical parasternal views. AI appears in diastole, as blood flow moves from the aorta to the LVOT.

This parasternal long-axis view shows aortic insufficiency in the LVOT in diastole using an enhanced velocity map. The AI jet is primarily colored blue because it moves away from the transducer. The mosaic of blue and yellow indicates turbulent blood flow.

The diastolic AI in this apical long-axis view is much more severe than in the previous example. This jet originates in the aortic valve, curves through the LV, and extends all the way to the LV apex. The mosaic of reds, blues, yellows, and greens indicate that it is both very turbulent and very high velocity with this variance map. The band of blue along the interventricular septum represents some of the AI jet, which, after curving around the apex, moves away from the transducer.

This M-mode records both AI and MR using a variance map. The AI jet appears in diastole, between the anterior MV leaflet and the interventricular septum. The MR jet appears in systole, below the closed MV. Since both jets move away from the transducer, they are primarily colored blue. Both jets demonstrate a high degree of turbulence indicated by the presence of yellows and greens. The red in systole above the closed MV represents normal LV outflow. Although the frozen diastolic 2-D image shows only AI, several complete cardiac cycles are visible on the M-mode recording.

Click below to view a real-time image demonstrating both MR and AI.

module230_MRANDA~1.AVI