[Two-dimensional color-Doppler in the diagnosis of left ventricle-right atrium shunts]

Abstract

Left ventricular to right atrial shunts, known as Gerbode's defects, are a kind of uncommon atrioventricular defect, the diagnostic of which had been always based on hemodynamic and angiographic findings. Although, at the present, this diagnosis can be done easily by color Doppler echocardiography, there are few references in the literature. We show 4 patients in whom the diagnosis was made by this technique, pointing out the aspects to keep in mind in order to avoid erroneous interpretations. The diagnostic criteria were: systolic turbulence and high velocity jet without pulmonary hypertension or right ventricular out flow stenosis.