Background: This study was conducted to assess the accuracy of harmonic imaging 2D-transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE) segmental analysis compared to surgical findings, in degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR).
Methods: Seventy-seven consecutive patients with severe degenerative MR were prospectively enrolled. Preoperative 2D-TTE with precise localization of prolapsing or flailing scallops/segments was performed. All patients underwent mitral valve surgical repair. Surgical reports (SR), including valve description, were used as references for comparisons. A postoperative control 2D-TTE was performed.
Results: Out of 462 scallops/segments studied, surgical inspection identified 102 prolapses or flails (22%), 92 of which had previously been detected by 2D-TTE (90.2% sensitivity, 100% specificity). Agreement between preoperative 2D-TTE segmental analysis and SR was 97.8% (k = 0.93; p < 0.0001). Sixty-nine out of 77 2D-TTE reports were completely concordant with SR (89.6% diagnostic accuracy). None of the 8 non-concordant 2D-TTE reports were in complete disagreement with SR. P2 scallop was always involved in posterior leaflet prolapse or flail and was described correctly by 2D-TTE in 68 out of 69 patients (98,7% agreement, k = 0,93; 98.5% sensitivity). The anterior leaflet was involved in 14 patients (18%); A2 segment was involved in all of those cases and was correctly detected by 2D-TTE in 13 (98,7% agreement, k = 0,95; 92,8% sensitivity). Antero-lateral and postero-medial para-commissural prolapse or flail had a lower prevalence (14% and 10% respectively), with 2D-TTE sensitivity respectively of 64% and 50%.
Conclusions: 2D-TTE, performed by an experienced echo-lab, has very good diagnostic accuracy in localizing the scallops/segments involved in degenerative MR, particularly for the middle ones (P2-A2), which represent almost the totality of prolapses. More invasive, time consuming and expensive exams should be reserved to selected cases.