Pulmonary Venous Flow Pattern by Color Doppler Echocardiography in Childhood

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Biphasic or triphasic or quadriphasic pattern of pulmonary venous flow has been described by color Doppler echocardiography in normal subjects. Absolute velocity measurements varied with the position of the probe in relation to the pulmonary vein. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the normal pulmonary venous flow pattern and compare the data according to age, body weight, height and body surface area. METHODS: 244 normal children underwent transthoracic echocardiography from December 1992 to July 1993. Age ranged from newborns to 13 years. From the apical four chamber view, pulmonary venous flow velocity and integral were obtained. RESULTS: Quadriphasic pulmonary flow pattern(early systolic flow, late systolic flow, diastolic flow, atrial reversal flow) was identified. Pulmonary venous peak flow velocity was not different according to increasement of age, body weight, height or body surface area. But pulmonic flow integral was significantly increased according as increasement of age, body weight, height, or body surface area. CONCLUSION: Transthoracic color Doppler echocardiography is a good noninvasive diagnostic tool to evaluate pulmonary venous flow pattern in children.