Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Ask

Publications and source records attributed to P Ask.

61 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Subaortic flow profiles in aortic valve disease: a two-dimensional color Doppler study.

With time-corrected color Doppler echocardiography, the aortic subvalvular spatial flow velocity profile was registered in two perpendicular planes in 10 patients with aortic valve disease and in 5 healthy control subjects. Patients with predominant aortic valve stenosis had a fairly flat profile, and the subvalvular diameter, obtained from left parasternal two-dimensional tissue imaging, provided a good estimate of the mean of the two transverse flow axes. This explains the accuracy in determination of stroke volume and aortic valve area that is reported in studies on patients with aortic valve stenosis when the continuity equation is used. However, the use of apical pulsed Doppler ultrasound registrations from the left ventricular outflow tract and parasternal two-dimensional echocardiography for flow area calculation may introduce large errors in calculated stroke volume in certain patients with aortic regurgitation and in normal subjects, because of a non-flat spatial velocity profile or an inaccurate estimate of flow area.

Aged↗

Problems in timing of respiration with the nasal thermistor technique.

When one analyzes transvalvular and venous flow velocity patterns, it is important to relate them to respiration. For this reason a nasal thermistor technique is often used, although it is known that this signal is delayed in relation to intrathoracic pressure changes. The magnitude and variation in delay have not been investigated previously and were, therefore, studied in a model experiment in 10 normal subjects, in 10 patients with obstructive, and in 10 patients with restrictive pulmonary disease. Esophageal pressure variations measured with an air-filled balloon served as a gold standard for intrathoracic pressure changes. During basal conditions there was, for both patient groups and normal subjects, a considerable delay of the thermistor signal. The average delay for all subjects was 370 msec with a wide variation (from 120 to 720 msec). At higher breathing frequencies the delay shortened to 310 msec (P < 0.01) but there was still a wide variation (ranging from 200 to 470 msec). Theoretic calculations show that the delay caused by the respiratory system accounts for only a minor portion of the total delay. Model experiments confirmed that the response characteristics of the thermistor probes limit the accuracy in timing of respiration. The total delay with the investigated thermistor technique is too long and variable to fulfil clinical demands.

Adult↗

Pressure half-time does not always predict mitral valve area correctly.

A theory is presented elucidating factors that influence the pressure half-time. By combining the Bernoulli and continuity equations and making certain assumptions about the shape of the atrioventricular pressure difference decay, it can be shown that valve area, volume transported across that area, and initial pressure difference influence the pressure half-time according to a formula in which the pressure half-time is related to V/(Ao square root of delta po), where V is the transported volume across the orifice with the area Ao, and delta po is the initial pressure difference across that area. In a subsequent hydraulic model experiment pressure half-time was determined for three different hole areas, with various initial volumes and initial pressure gradients. We did not obtain a unique relation between the pressure half-time and area. Instead the results supported our theory, and we found a close linear relationship between area and V/(T0.5 square root of delta po) (correlation coefficient [r] = 0.998), as predicted in the theory (T0.5 = pressure half-time). Clinical examples in which the pressure half-time may be misleading in the assessment of severity of mitral stenosis are presented.

Blood Pressure↗

Determination of regurgitant flow and volume by integrating actual proximal velocities over hemispheres (IPROV) in two orthogonal planes.

The proximal acceleration technique is a promising technique for quantification of regurgitant valve flow. Although the shape of the regurgitant proximal isovelocity field has been shown to vary with orifice size, geometry, and driving pressure, normally the centerline velocity alone is used for estimation of flow. In this model study of pulsatile flow, two-dimensional and spectral Doppler data were transferred digitally to a computer in which proximal velocity fields were corrected for time and angle errors. With the purpose of improving accuracy, flow was estimated by integrating proximal velocities over nonisovelocity spheric control surfaces in the best zone of measurement (0.15 to 0.45 m/sec at an angle up to +/- 45 degrees from the center line) in two perpendicular planes. Three regurgitant volumes in the range of 5 to 21 ml were studied for circular (diameters of 4, 6, and 8 mm), crescent, and diagonal orifices. The quotient between effective orifice area, estimated by dividing peak flow with peak velocity in the vena contracta, and true orifice area (Aeff = Q(tm)/Vo(tm)) was 0.66 (range 0.60 to 0.79), 0.50 (0.48 to 0.52), and 0.67 (0.66 to 0.68) for the circular, crescent, and diagonal orifices, respectively. Regurgitant volume estimated by multiplying effective orifice area by the velocity-time integral in the vena contracta (V = Aeff.velocity-time integral) ranged from 92% to 115% of the true volume for the circular, 89% to 92% for the crescent, and 105% to 112% for the diagonal orifices, respectively. It is possible to calculate regurgitant volume correctly with data acquisition from multiple hemispheres and planes and postprocessing of data. This amendment of the proximal acceleration technique has great advantage over the center-line method, especially when the orifice is asymmetric.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

Understanding continuous-wave Doppler signal intensity as a measure of regurgitant severity.

Continuous-wave Doppler signal intensity is commonly expected to reflect the severity of mitral regurgitation. Physical principles predict that alignment of the imaging beam, flow velocity, and turbulence can also be important or even dominant determinants of continuous-wave Doppler signal intensity. The reliability of tracking regurgitant severity with continuous-wave Doppler signal intensity was assessed in vitro with varying volume, velocity, turbulence, and beam alignment. The conditions wherein continuous-wave Doppler signal intensity increased with regurgitant volume were specific but poorly predictable combinations of orifice size, flow volume, and perfect beam alignment. Under other conditions flow velocity and turbulence effects dominated, and continuous-wave Doppler signal intensity did not reflect changing regurgitant volume. Continuous-wave Doppler signal intensity-based impressions of regurgitant severity may be unreliable and even misleading under some circumstances.

Echocardiography, Doppler↗

Overestimation of flow velocity through leaks in mechanical valve prostheses and through small orifices by continuous-wave Doppler.

The reliability of continuous-wave Doppler flow velocity measurements through small regurgitant lesions, such as in prosthetic leakage, has not been systematically analyzed. To evaluate the accuracy of continuous-wave Doppler in prosthetic valve leakage and small orifices in an in vitro, steady-flow model-flow velocities through the leaks of twelve intact mechanical prostheses and through six circular nozzles (area 0.5 to 20 mm2) were measured at pressure drops between 30 and 105 mm Hg. These results were compared with those predicted by the modified Bernoulli equation. Laser Doppler anemometry of flow velocities through the nozzles was also performed. Despite high correlation, there was substantial overestimation of Bernoulli predicted velocities by echo Doppler in the prosthetic leaks (mean +12.3% +/- 9.4%; range 90.3% to 143.4%). In the nozzles < or = 10 mm2, but not in the largest (20 mm2) nozzle, there was also overestimation of the Bernoulli predicted velocities (mean +6.2% +/- 2%). Laser Doppler anemometry of flow velocities through the nozzles showed slightly lower values than predicted by the Bernoulli equation. Thus, continuous-wave echo Doppler overestimates flow velocities through small orifices. This apparently is, at least in part, due to transit time effects and should be taken into account when using echo Doppler in small (< 10 mm2) orifices, such as in mild to moderate regurgitant lesions and prosthetic valve leakage.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

A simple device measuring differences in level in the oesophagus.

A device for measuring the difference in level between the pressure transducer and a point of measurment is described. It can be used in oesophageal manometry with waterfilled catheters to measure and compensate for superimposed hydrostatic pressure. The practical application of the method is illustrated.

Catheterization↗