Noninvasive Diagnosis and Assessment of Ventricular Septal Defect by Doppler Ultrasound

The presence of ventricular septal defect can be diagnosed noninvasively by Doppler ultrasound. Care must be taken to distinguish between VSD and infundibular pulmonary stenosis. VSD was easily differentiated from other cardiac lesions. In 55% of the patients a pressure drop across the VDS, comparable to that present, could be calculated from maximal recorded. In the remaining patients velocity and pressure drop were underestimated, probably due to a too large angle between ultrasound beam and velocity. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure was correctly estimated from Pc-To interval and heart rate, and RPEP(RVET) indicated whether normal or raised diastolic pressure was present in most patients.