QUANTIFICATION OF MITRAL-INSUFFICIENCY BY STUDYING THE COLOR DOPPLER CONVERGENCE ZONE

Many in vitro and in vivo studies have recently emphasized the value o f analysis of the colour Doppler convergence zone for quantification o f mitra insufficiency. This approach provides an estimation of the max imal instantaneous regurgitation flow rate, the area of the regurgitat ing orifice, the volume regurgitated with each beat and the regurgitat ion fraction, After a brief review of fluid mechanics, this review of the literature with be focus on the principle, results, advantages and limitations of this method.