COMPARATIVE STUDY
EVALUATION STUDIES
JOURNAL ARTICLE
RESEARCH SUPPORT, NON-U.S. GOV'T
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Transmitral Doppler: a new transthoracic contrast method for patent foramen ovale detection and quantification.

OBJECTIVES: This study compared a new transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) method for detection of right to left bubble passage, transmitral Doppler (TMD), against two-dimensional (2D) TTE contrast study and the gold standard, of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and assessed its utility in quantitative assessment of patent foramen ovales (PFO).

BACKGROUND: Current TTE methods are relatively insensitive in PFO detection and do not allow quantitative assessment of right to left shunt.

METHODS: In 44 patients (59 years, range 34 to 76 years) saline contrast and color Doppler studies were performed in three conditions--TTE TMD, TTE 2D and TEE. Bubble transit on the TMD was measured semiquantitatively by a visual bubble score and objectively by integrating the acoustic power within the mitral velocity envelope.

RESULTS: By TEE it was determined that 17 patients (39%) had PFOs; 16 had right to left contrast passage, and only 1 had left to right flow by color Doppler. Against TEE contrast study, the sensitivity of TMD and 2D contrast studies were 100% and 75%, respectively, with specificity of 96% and 100%. Greater than 10 bubbles on a single beat of the resting contrast TMD identified patients with a maximum resting TEE PFO opening diameter >2 mm with 78% sensitivity and 100% specificity. There was a strong correlation (r2 = 0.72, p<0.01) between the TMD acoustic power and PFO opening diameter.

CONCLUSIONS: Transmitral Doppler is a sensitive and specific method for TTE PFO detection that allows quantification of right to left bubble passage and may obviate the need for TEE in many patients after stroke.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app