Studio ecocardiografico della morfologia mitralica in cani normali affetti da degenerazione mixomatosa valvolare

Mitral valve morphology was analyzed in 19 healthy dogs and in 65 dogs affected by degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) by transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography and Colour Doppler techniques. Mitral valve prolapse grade and mitral regurgitation grade were recorded for every patients and then correlated with morphological aspects of the valve like thickness and length of leaflets as well as mitralic annulus diameter. Morphological data were also correlated in healthy and pathological dogs. Semiquantitative evaluation of regurgitant flow was conducted by Colour Doppler. This study evidences that thickness and length of mitral valve leaflets as well as mitralic annulus diameter are positively correlated with the severity of the mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation.