Anatomy of the mitral valve: understanding the mitral valve complex in mitral regurgitation

Imaging the mitral valve requires an understanding of the normal anatomy and how this complex structure is altered by disease states. Mitral regurgitation is increasingly prevalent. Despite the fall in rheumatic disease, it is the second most common valvular lesion seen in adults in Europe. In this review, the morphology of the normal and abnormal valve is reconsidered in relation to the key structures, with a view to aiding the reader in understanding how this might relate to echocardiographic identification of abnormalities.