ABSTRACT
The authors evaluated the possibilities of three-dimensional echocardiography in the assessment of the severity of mitral valve stenosis. In 45 patients, the Doppler pressure half-time method was compared with two three-dimensional echocardiographic methods in the measurement of mitral valve orifice: anyplane echocardiography and surface rendering. There was significant relation between them: r = 0.74 and r = 0.70, both p < 0.0001. In addition, mitral valve stenosis was also quantified by two new indices, such as the doming volume of the mitral apparatus and mitral valve volume. Subgroup analysis revealed relation between atrial fibrillation and decreasing doming volume as well as significantly higher mitral valve volume in patients with critical stenosis. Associated valve abnormalities did not influence the mitral orifice measurement neither by Doppler method nor three-dimensional echocardiography. In conclusion, three-dimensional echocardiography allows reliable assessment of mitral stenosis and moreover provides new quantitative indices, which can be clinically important in the assessment of three-dimensional geometry of the mitral apparatus.
