Grading of Left-to-Right Shunting Ductus Arteriosus in Neonates with Bedside Pulsed Doppler Ultrasound

Hannu Hirsimäki; Pentti Kero; Markku Saraste; Henrik Ekblad; Heikki Korvenranta; Olli Wanne

doi:10.1055/s-2007-999389

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 1991; 8(4): 247-250
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-999389

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Grading of Left-to-Right Shunting Ductus Arteriosus in Neonates with Bedside Pulsed Doppler Ultrasound

Hannu Hirsimäki, Pentti Kero, Markku Saraste, Henrik Ekblad, Heikki Korvenranta, Olli Wanne

Department of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical Physiology, University of Turku, Turku, and Department of Clinical Physiology, Central Hospital of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A nonimaging pulsed Doppler technique was used to grade the magnitude of flow in left-to-right shunting ductus arteriosus. The results were compared with those obtained with a color Doppler flow mapping technique. The correlation between the grading results by these two methods was 0.91 (p <0.01). To determine hemodynamic influence of left-to-right shunting ductal flow, simultaneous measurements of Doppler-derived cardiac output were done. Results showed significantly higher cardiac output in infants with grade III shunting than in infants with grade 0 and grade I shunting. The nonimaging pulsed Doppler ultrasound technique used in the present study proved to be a clinically useful and accurate grading system of left-to-right shunting at the ductal level. The simple grading system with nonimaging Doppler is a valuable adjunct to the color Doppler flow mapping technique. It allows a regular evaluation of ductal flow as well as cardiac output.

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