Study for the Echocardiography Techniques II Exam 2. Equip yourself with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations to prepare you for the test.

Multiple Choice

Moderate PHT of 200-350 m/s is associated with which valve regurgitation?

Pressure half-time is a Doppler measure used to gauge how quickly the diastolic regurgitant flow decays across a valve. In aortic regurgitation, the regurgitant jet moves from the aorta back into the left ventricle during diastole, and the rate of decay depends on the gradient between the aorta and the LV as well as the size of the regurgitant orifice. A longer decay (long PHT) means a smaller or less hemodynamically significant regurgitation, while a shorter decay (short PHT) means a larger or more forceful regurgitation. When the PHT is around 200–350 milliseconds, that aligns with moderate aortic regurgitation. If the PHT is longer than about 500 ms, the AR is mild; if it drops below roughly 200 ms, the AR is severe. This parameter is most informative for AR because the diastolic gradient driving the aortic-to-LV flow directly affects the decay of the regurgitant jet. For other valves, the same PHT values don’t map as cleanly to severity because the hemodynamics involve different pressures (left atrial pressure for mitral regurgitation, pulmonary artery pressures for pulmonary regurgitation), which can complicate interpretation.

Pressure half-time is a Doppler measure used to gauge how quickly the diastolic regurgitant flow decays across a valve. In aortic regurgitation, the regurgitant jet moves from the aorta back into the left ventricle during diastole, and the rate of decay depends on the gradient between the aorta and the LV as well as the size of the regurgitant orifice. A longer decay (long PHT) means a smaller or less hemodynamically significant regurgitation, while a shorter decay (short PHT) means a larger or more forceful regurgitation.

When the PHT is around 200–350 milliseconds, that aligns with moderate aortic regurgitation. If the PHT is longer than about 500 ms, the AR is mild; if it drops below roughly 200 ms, the AR is severe. This parameter is most informative for AR because the diastolic gradient driving the aortic-to-LV flow directly affects the decay of the regurgitant jet.

For other valves, the same PHT values don’t map as cleanly to severity because the hemodynamics involve different pressures (left atrial pressure for mitral regurgitation, pulmonary artery pressures for pulmonary regurgitation), which can complicate interpretation.