Which forms of cardiac valvular regurgitation are assessed with jet length on echocardiogram (echo)?

From the Guidelines

All forms of cardiac valvular regurgitation, including mitral, aortic, tricuspid, and pulmonic regurgitation, can be assessed using jet length on echocardiography, but jet length alone is not sufficient for comprehensive assessment. Jet length is a semi-quantitative measure that helps determine the severity of regurgitation by evaluating how far the abnormal blood flow extends into the receiving chamber. For mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, the jet length is measured as it extends into the atria, while for aortic regurgitation, it's measured as blood flows back into the left ventricle, and for pulmonic regurgitation, as it flows back into the right ventricle. However, jet length can be influenced by technical factors such as transducer position, gain settings, and hemodynamic conditions like blood pressure.

• More reliable quantitative methods include:
  • Vena contracta width
  • Regurgitant volume calculation
  • Effective regurgitant orifice area
  • Proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method These measurements provide more accurate assessment of regurgitation severity and help guide clinical decision-making regarding timing of intervention, as recommended by the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging 1. The use of echocardiography in acute cardiovascular care also emphasizes the importance of integrating several parameters to evaluate regurgitation severity, including the context of cardiorespiratory support of the patient 1.

From the Research

Cardiac Valvular Regurgitation Assessment

• Mitral regurgitation (MR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) are commonly assessed using echocardiography 2, 3, 4, 5
• The severity of MR and TR can be evaluated using various parameters, including jet length, on echo 3
• However, the specific forms of cardiac valvular regurgitation that are assessed with jet length on echo are not explicitly stated in the provided studies
• Jet length is often used to assess the severity of regurgitation, but the studies do not provide a clear answer to which forms of cardiac valvular regurgitation are assessed with jet length on echo

Forms of Cardiac Valvular Regurgitation

• Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common form of cardiac valvular regurgitation that can be assessed using echocardiography 2, 3, 4, 5
• Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is another form of cardiac valvular regurgitation that can be assessed using echocardiography 2, 3, 4, 5
• Aortic regurgitation (AR) is also a form of cardiac valvular regurgitation that can be assessed using echocardiography 3

Echocardiographic Assessment

• Echocardiography is a commonly used imaging modality to assess cardiac valvular regurgitation 2, 3, 4, 5
• Color Doppler videos can be used to classify the severity of valvular regurgitation, including MR, TR, and AR 3
• The DELINEATE-Regurgitation system is an artificial intelligence system that can be used to assess valvular regurgitation and stratify MR progression risk 3