PULMONARY VENOUS FLOW CHARACTERISTICS AS ASSESSED BY TRANSTHORACIC PULSED DOPPLER-ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN NORMAL DOGS

Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography was used to evaluate the techni que of measuring and normal patterns of pulmonary venous flow in fourt een normal dogs, Polyphasic pulmonary venous flow profiles were obtain ed in all dogs, consisting of one (S) or two (S-E and S-L) systolic fo rward flow waves, one early diastolic forward flow wave (D), one rever se flow wave (R) related to atrial contraction, and one reverse flow w ave (R-2) observed after cessation of systolic flow, Pulmonary venous flow was laminar in 9 dogs (65%), Maximal flow velocity during systole (0.39 +/- 0.14 m/sec) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than in earl y diastole (0.56 +/- 0.14 m/sec). During late diastole peak now veloci ty was 0.20 +/- 0.08 m/sec and maximum R-2 velocity was 0.17 +/- 0.05 m/sec, Duration of mitral A-wave was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than R-wave duration in all dogs (0.075 +/- 0.010 vs 0.058 +/- 0.012 s ec), These results can be used for comparison with patterns found in d isease states.