1 From the Edward B. Robinette Foundation, Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Electromedical Division of the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
An ultrasound beam directed into a medium of uniform acoustical impedance will travel in a straight line, but a portion of the waves will be reflected at the interface of a medium of different acoustical impedance. A time-distance curve of motion has been obtained from the heart by recording the echoes returned to a send-receive ultrasound transducer applied in the third, fourth, or fifth left interspace. A characteristic curve having two anterior peaks during each cardiac cycle was obtained in the 25 normal patients studied. One peak follows the P wave of the electrocardiogram and is not seen in atrial fibrillation. The other peak of motion toward the anterior chest is followed by rapid regression posteriorly during ventricular diastole. The velocity of the motion was 85 to 160 mm./sec. in normal subjects. In contrast, the records from 90 patients with mitral stenosis demonstrated a distinctive, abnormal pattern having a plateautype configuration with a velocity of posterior motion of only 2 to 35 mm./sec. The configuration of the curve changed toward normal after successful mitral valvulotomy but none of the 35 patients who were studied before and after surgery has developed a calculated postoperative velocity exceeding 70 mm./sec. Twelve patients with "pure" mitral regurgitation have had records similar to the normal, with velocities in or above the normal range. None of the 135 other patients studied, representing a variety of conditions, demonstrated a curve of the type found in mitral stenosis.
© 1963 American Heart Association, Inc.
Reflected Ultrasound in the Assessment of Mitral Valve Disease
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
H. Feigenbaum The first long-lasting use of echocardiography: a result of a false advertisement. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. Img., July 1, 2008; 1(4): 522 - 524. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. A. Meyer History of Ultrasound in Cardiology J. Ultrasound Med., January 1, 2004; 23(1): 1 - 11. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Feigenbaum Evolution of Echocardiography Circulation, April 1, 1996; 93(7): 1321 - 1327. [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
M. L. Fisher, A. F. Parisi, G. D. Plotnick, C. E. DeFelice, N. H. Carliner, and N. J. Fortuin Assessment of Severity of Mitral Stenosis by Echocardiographic Leaflet Separation Arch Intern Med, April 1, 1979; 139(4): 402 - 406. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. S. WANN, A. E. WEYMAN, H. FEIGENBAUM, J. C. DILLON, K. W. JOHNSTON, and R. C. EGGLETON Determination of Mitral Valve Area by Cross-Sectional Echocardiography Ann Intern Med, March 1, 1978; 88(3): 337 - 341. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. R. TICZON, A. N. DAMATO, A. R. CARACTA, S. H. LAU, and L. GROSS Echocardiographic Manifestation of "False" Mitral Stenosis That Was Ann Intern Med, October 1, 1975; 83(4): 503 - 505. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Gustafson, I. Edler, O. Dahlback, J. Kaude, and S. Persson Left Atrial Myxoma Diagnosed By Ultrasound Cardiography Angiology, September 1, 1973; 24(9): 554 - 562. [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. Dock Production Mode of Systolic Clicks Due to Mitral Cusp Prolapse Arch Intern Med, July 1, 1973; 132(1): 118 - 125. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W.S. Frankl, R. Mac Millan, and W.K. Smith Differential Echocardiographic Patterns in Mitral Regurgitation Angiology, November 1, 1972; 23(11): 642 - 650. [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. B. Goldberg, B. J. Ostrum, and H. J. Isard Ultrasonic Determination of Pericardial Effusion JAMA, December 4, 1967; 202(10): 927 - 930. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. R. Joyner Jr., R. J. Herman, and J. M. Reid Reflected Ultrasound in the Detection and Localization of Pleural Effusion JAMA, May 1, 1967; 200(5): 399 - 402. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Zaky, L. Grabhorn, and H. Feigenbaum Movement of the Mitral Ring: A Study in Ultrasoundcardiography Cardiovasc Res, April 1, 1967; 1(2): 121 - 131. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. FEIGENBAUM Diagnostic Ultrasound Ann Intern Med, July 1, 1966; 65(1): 185 - 189. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. L. Segal, W. Likoff, and B. Kingsley Echocardiography: Clinical Application in Mitral Stenosis JAMA, January 17, 1966; 195(3): 161 - 166. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Feigenbaum, J. A. Waldhausen, and L. P. Hyde Ultrasound Diagnosis of Pericardial Effusion JAMA, March 1, 1965; 191(9): 711 - 714. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
|
Circulation Home | Subscriptions | Archives | Feedback | Authors | Help | AHA Journals Home | Search Copyright © 1963 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. |