Effects of velocity distribution, diameter measurement and velocity tracing on the accuracy of cardiac output measurement by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in the aortic annulus of pigs.

Abstract The accuracy of cardiac output measurement by pulsed Doppler echocardiography can be affected by several factors, such as the velocity distribution, the measurement of diameter and the method of tracing the pulsed Doppler flow spectrum. This experimental study was designed to find the most accurate way of measuring cardiac output in consideration of all these factors. In 10 open-chest normal piglets (24 ± 1 kg) the velocity distribution in the aortic annulus was evaluated using Doppler colour flow mapping. Cardiac output was measured by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in the aortic annulus by a number of different ways and compared to the simultaneous result of the thermodilution method. All measurements were made at baseline, after intravenous injection of esmolol and during infusion of dobutamine. Results: (1) the velocity distribution in the aortic annulus in the piglets was just slightly skewed during all three haemodynamic situations; (2) The in vivo measurements of the diameter of the aortic annulus varied throughout the ejection period, but the average of the three largest diameter measurements was almost identical with the diameter measured in vitro (18.5 ± 0.3 mm vs. 18.6 ± 0.2 mm; p = NS); (3) Tracing the maximal velocity of the pulsed Doppler flow spectrum produced a cardiac output that was 18%–21% higher than that measured by the thermodilution method, while tracing the brightest part (modal velocity) of the pulsed Doppler flow spectrum yielded a cardiac output very close to the thermodilution measurement. Conclusion: The velocity distribution in the aortic annulus in the piglet has little effect on cardiac output measurement by pulsed Doppler. Using the maximal measurable diameter of the aortic annulus and tracing the brightest part of the pulsed Doppler flow spectrum yielded the cardiac output closest to that measured by the thermodilution method.