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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
aotric regurge
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
aotric regurge
by alaa, Mar 13, 2005 12:00AM
is the echocardiography. diagnostic for aortic vavle diseases?
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-MJM, Mar 13, 2005 12:00AM
Hi Alaa,
That is the shortest question I have had in a while.
The transthoracic echo (transthoracic meaning through the chest as opposed to transesophageal -- through your throat) is very good evaluating the aortic valve and is the current gold standard. If your transthoracic images are poor (over weight, underweight, COPD, et al.), sometimes a transesophageal echo is done to further evaluate the problem.
If these are both unsuccessful--which is very rare these days--a left heart cath is done and dye is injected into your ventricle to assess the aortic valve and pressures are measured across the valve.
I hope this helps.
That is the shortest question I have had in a while.
The transthoracic echo (transthoracic meaning through the chest as opposed to transesophageal -- through your throat) is very good evaluating the aortic valve and is the current gold standard. If your transthoracic images are poor (over weight, underweight, COPD, et al.), sometimes a transesophageal echo is done to further evaluate the problem.
If these are both unsuccessful--which is very rare these days--a left heart cath is done and dye is injected into your ventricle to assess the aortic valve and pressures are measured across the valve.
I hope this helps.
