Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of ventricular filling in cardiac failure and estimation of filling pressures.

The study of diastolic function is an essential step in Doppler echocardiog raphic investigation of cardiac failure. Although the recording of transmit ral flow remains the basis of analysis of diastolic function, it should be completed by other Doppler parameters. In fact, the simple analysis of tran smitral flow is not sufficient because of the interplay of other factors, e specially the preload, The authors describe the complementary ultrasonograp hic approaches for analysis of diastolic function, especially the ventricul ar filling pressures, by recording of pulmonary venous flow, the kinetics o f the mitral annulus and the propagation of intra-ventricular flow.