Characteristics of jets in adult bicuspid aortic valve by color Doppler imaging]

Color flow mapping of 15 adults with bicuspid aortic valves confirmed angiographically and at surgery comprising 8 regurgitations and 7 stenoses was analysed, retrospectively in 12 cases. The object was to detect any special features of the jets of this congenital abnormality. The site of emergence of the jet at the aortic orifice and its direction in the left ventricle were studied in the long axis, short transaortic and left ventricular axes by sequential analysis. Two types of regurgitant jet were observed: eccentric anterior origin (5, Type I), eccentric posterior origin (3, Type II), extending towards the structure opposite to their origin in the left ventricular outflow tract. In cases of stenosis, the cross-sectional view of the jet had an almost transverse slit-like appearance extending from one side of the aortic orifice to the other or an anterior or posterior eccentric oval shape. The Type I cases and the slit-like anterior stenoses had fusion of the coronary cusps whilst the Type II and posterior slit-like stenoses had fusion of the right coronary and non-coronary cusps. This preliminary study suggests that bicuspid aortic valves are associated with jet characteristics related to the abnormal commissural axis which allows diagnosis and precision of the anatomic type in adults despite the presence of calcification.