RESUMO
Doppler echocardiography has been established as an indispensable, noninvasive technique in the evaluation of mitral valve diseases. This study included 2 groups, a group of 30 patients having mitral valve lesions and a control group of 10 normal subjects. A meticulous Doppler echocardiographic examination was performed for each subject. The normal diastolic mitral valve flow pattern was demonstrated and the mean values of the maximum velocity of blood flow [Max. V], the maximum transvalvular pressure gradient [Max. PG], and the maximum pressure half time [Pt 1/2] were recorded. Patients of the first group were diagnosed and classified according to the type of lesion, whether isolated mitral stenosis [10 cases], isolated regurgitation [18 cases] or combined stenosis and regurgitation [2 cases]. Max. V, Max. PG and Max. Pt 1/2 were calculated in each case and the characteristic Doppler flow pattern across the valve was demonstrated in each lesion. Doppler echocardiography showed high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of mitral valve diseases and in assessment of its severity