In 14 cases, whose mean age was 12.2 (5-27), right ventricular pressure estimated by CW Doppler echocardiography varied between 20-89 mmHg (m=45.5 mmHg), whereas hemodynamically measured right ventricular pressure in the same patients varied between 16-100 mmHg (m=44.7 mmHg). There was a positive correlation between the two data (r=0.92). Patients with pulmonary stenosis (infundibular or valvular) were not included in this study. It is concluded that, in patients with isolated ventricular septal defect right ventricular pressure can be estimated noninvasively by color-Doppler echocardiography.
Keywords: Ventricular septal defect, color Doppler echocardiography, right ventricular pressure