Mapping of mitral regurgitant defects by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in moderate or severe mitral regurgitation secondary to mitral valve prolapse

Ruvin S Gabriel¹^,2 , Andrew J Kerr¹ , Owen C Raffel¹^,2 , Ralph A Stewart² , Brett R Cowan³ and Christopher J Occleshaw²

¹Department of Cardiology, Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand

²GreenLane Cardiovascular Service, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand

³Centre for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

author email corresponding author email

Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 2008, 10:16doi:10.1186/1532-429X-10-16


Published:	9 April 2008

Abstract

Purpose

In mitral valve prolapse, determining whether the valve is suitable for surgical repair depends on the location and mechanism of regurgitation. We assessed whether cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) could accurately identify prolapsing or flail mitral valve leaflets and regurgitant jet direction in patients with known moderate or severe mitral regurgitation.

Methods

CMR of the mitral valve was compared with trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) in 27 patients with chronic moderate to severe mitral regurgitation due to mitral valve prolapse. Contiguous long-axis high temporal resolution CMR cines perpendicular to the valve commissures were obtained across the mitral valve from the medial to lateral annulus. This technique allowed systematic valve inspection and mapping of leaflet prolapse using a 6 segment model. CMR mapping was compared with trans-oesophageal echocardiography (TOE) or surgical inspection in 10 patients.

Results

CMR and TTE agreed on the presence/absence of leaflet abnormality in 53 of 54 (98%) leaflets. Prolapse or flail was seen in 36 of 54 mitral valve leaflets examined on TTE. CMR and TTE agreed on the discrimination of prolapse from flail in 33 of 36 (92%) leaflets and on the predominant regurgitant jet direction in 26 of the 27 (96%) patients. In the 10 patients with TOE or surgical operative findings available, CMR correctly classified presence/absence of segmental abnormality in 49 of 60 (82%) leaflet segments.

Conclusion

Systematic mitral valve assessment using a simple protocol is feasible and could easily be incorporated into CMR studies in patients with mitral regurgitation due to mitral valve prolapse.