Doppler Echocardiography Flashcards
6 cards from real ARDMS ECHO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Doppler Echocardiography flashcards as text
What is the significance of a diastolic flow reversal in the pulmonary veins on Doppler echocardiography?
Answer: Indicates elevated left atrial pressure or severe MR
Diastolic flow reversal in pulmonary veins suggests elevated left atrial pressure or severe mitral regurgitation causing retrograde flow.
On pulsed-wave Doppler, the sample volume should be placed where to measure mitral inflow velocities?
Answer: At the tips of the mitral leaflets
The sample volume is placed at the tips of the mitral leaflets (leaflet tips) to record the highest E and A wave velocities.
Which Doppler parameter is used to estimate pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR)?
Answer: TR velocity / RVOT VTI
PVR ≈ 10 × (TR velocity / RVOT VTI); a ratio >0.2 suggests elevated PVR.
The PISA (proximal isovelocity surface area) method is used to quantify:
Answer: Severity of valvular regurgitation or stenosis
The PISA method uses flow convergence proximal to a regurgitant orifice to calculate the effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) and regurgitant volume.
In continuous-wave Doppler, the modified Bernoulli equation (ΔP = 4V²) is used to calculate:
Answer: Pressure gradient across an obstruction
The simplified Bernoulli equation converts peak Doppler velocity to pressure gradient: ΔP = 4V², ignoring the proximal velocity when it is <1.5 m/s.
What finding on CW Doppler of the aortic valve suggests dynamic LVOT obstruction (HOCM)?
Answer: Dagger-shaped (late-peaking) signal with mid-systolic notch
Dynamic LVOT obstruction produces a late-peaking, dagger-shaped CW Doppler signal due to progressive systolic narrowing of the outflow tract.