Noninvasive assessment of left ventricular diastolic function in dogs by Doppler echocardiography

Pulmonary venous flow velocity pattern, transmitral flow pattern, isovolumic relaxation time, and left ventricular fractional wall thinning were analyzed in 72 dogs with heart disease by transthoracic Doppler and M-mode echocardiography and compared with other noninvasive variables of left ventricular and left atrial systolic performance. Abnormal diastolic blood flow was found in 49 (68%) dogs, predominantly flow patterns suggestive of relaxation abnormality and increased filling pressures. Diastolic flow abnormalities despite normal systolic performance were found in 23 (32%) dogs of which 14 (61%) revealed clinical signs of heart disease. The diagnostic sensitivity of pulmonary venous flow parameters for echocardiographically detectable diastolic disturbance was found to be higher compared with the other noninvasive parameters of diastolic heart function measured. Diastolic filling pattern appear to correlate closer with functional status in many dogs with heart disease than indices of systolic performance.