Echocardiography of the mitral valve in aortic valve disease.

Ultrasonic echocardiograms from the anterior cusp of the mitral valve have been obtained in 75 patients with aortic regurgitation in whom there was haemodynamic or surgical confirmation, or both, of the state of the mitral valve. Coincident mitral stenosis could be recognized from the echocardiogram in all cases by a slow diastolic closure rate and widening of the echo from the anterior mitral cusp. In many of these patients delayed systolic closure of the mitral valve was also seen. All patients with an Austin Flint murmur had either premature systolic closure of the valve and an accelerated diastolic closure rate or diastolic oscillations of the valve. The amplitude of excursion of the anterior mitral cusp was normal in patients with an Austin Flint murmur and reduced in patients with organic mitral stenosis.