Diastology: 6 Things You Need to Know About Mitral Inflow

The Meaning Behind the Waveforms

What is Diastolic Dysfunction?

While we often emphasize systolic function in echocardiography, diastolic dysfunction is equally important - but often not fully understood by many cardiac sonographers. You’re probably familiar with the challenge of obtaining that lateral apical image, but the significance of the mitral inflow waveform may not always be top of mind. This lesson will explore the 6 key concepts you need to understand regarding mitral inflow patterns to become an echocardiography expert.

Diastolic dysfunction occurs when the ventricle becomes stiff and loses its ability to relax and fill properly. As a result, intracardiac pressures rise to compensate for the reduced compliance. Echocardiography is a non-invasive tool we use to assess these filling pressures, which are classified and graded based on their severity.

Understanding diastolic function relies heavily on accurately measuring mitral inflow velocities. These velocities are captured at the mitral leaflet tips in the apical 4-chamber view, and provide useful information about filling pressures. Unlock this lesson to learn at your own pace, enhance your skills, and stay ahead in this ever-evolving field.