Automated Assessment of Aortic Regurgitation using 2D Doppler Echocardiogram

Based on 2D Doppler echocardiography a non-invasive automated method for assessing the severity of Aortic Regurgitation (AR) is explained in this paper. Using GE ultrasound machine equipped with 1.7MHz to 15MHz phased array transducers. Continuous Wave (CW) color Doppler echocardiographic images of aortic valve were obtained from Frontier Life Line Hospital, Chennai, India. Doppler index is extracted by applying image processing techniques. Proposed algorithm automatically detects Peak velocity envelope of the spectral Doppler ultrasound tracings for calculating Pressure Half Time (PHT) available in a single screen frame. Measurements extracted automatically from the maximal velocity envelope are compared with measurements obtained manually where PHT for severity assessment of AR show strong positive correlation (r=0.950313). Present work provides a novel automated tool for extraction of clinical parameters from 2D Doppler images and assesses the severity of AR thus overcoming the short comings of the manual technique.