QUANTIFICATION OF CARDIAC JETS - THEORY AND LIMITATIONS

Jet flows are consequences of many cardiac lesions. With the advent of color Doppler flow mapping, these jet flows can be visualized noninva sively. Currently, an intense effort is underway to quantify cardiac j et flows as a means to assess the severity of jet forming lesions. Two techniques, PISA and jet centerline decay, have been suggested as met hods to quantify jet flow volume. Although both techniques are theoret ically sound, both formulations are based on ideal flow conditions tha t may not be completely realized in cardiac chambers. Thus, the comple x dynamics of cardiac jet flows must be considered as they may diminis h the accuracy of flow rate calculations. However, realistic in vitro experiments that mimic the impact of cardiac flow conditions on conver ging flows and jets, combined with carefully controlled in vivo testin g of both PISA and centerline techniques, may eventually produce clini cally useful quantification formulations.