Noninvasive evaluation of pulmonary hypertension by a pulsed Doppler technique

Abstract

We used a pulsed Doppler technique to examine the flow velocity pattern in the right ventricular outflow tract in 33 adults. In the patients with normal pulmonary artery pressure (mean pressure < 20 mm Hg, 16 patients), ejection flow reached a peak level at midsystole (137 ± 24 msec mean ± SD), producing a domelike contour of the flow velocity pattern during systole. In contrast, the flow velocity pattern in patients with pulmonary hypertension (mean pressure ≥ 20 mm Hg, 17 patients) was demonstrated to accelerate rapidly and to reach a peak level sooner (97 ± 20 msec, p