Echocardiogram Results?

[mkoven]

Anyone know how reliable echo results are across exams? I have had three echos since January and they all show different values and different things. It's hard for me to know what's a real change, and what's different between the different observers?

In 2006 , my aortic root was 3cm; in January it was 2.83; in July it was 2.8; Just now it was 3.0. ??????

All mention trace tricuspid regurgitation. One mentions trace aortic regurgitation. the others don't. One mentions trace pulmonic regurgitation. the others don't. If you don't get your echos all done by the same person, how do you know what's a real change????

My mean pulmonary systolic pressure seems to change a lot too.

I worry about my aorta, because of eds.

So should I worry that these are actual changes or just inconsistent readings or???

[Maxine]

Do you have an EDS doctor?---------------forgive me because I don't remember-----

Take a copy of the echo to a EDS specialist and get his/her opinion. My EDS specialist has a cardiologist that works with him, and they do echos in their office. The echo is very extensive, covering the aorta all the way up and down for dilation.

Maxine :0)

[mom4cem]

I don't know about the aortic root but I have been told that trace of any/all valves can be found in the normal population. Not everyone gets echos so they don't know. I have trace of all as of last time but in the past I had trace of one or two then the next only of one and so on.

Taking the echo(s) to your specialist sounds like a good beginning.

[flop]

I had similar questions when I got copies of 3 of my echo reports last year - it looked like my heart was getting bigger as the diameters of the left atrium and left ventricle were larger than the earlier echos. Also my PAP (pulmonary artery pressure) values were higher and there had were differences between no regurgitation mentioned, trace regurge and mild regurge on some of the valves.

I took the reports to my cardiologist, he reassured me that the differences in the numbers were insignificant and that even the same technician doing the echo would get differences in values depending on exactly where they measure (he said changes of less than 0.5cm were insignificant unless there was a trend over several scans). To show me what he meant he got the video tapes of the echos and compared them himself - he was happy that everything was fine.

Separate note about EDS - I hadn't been diagnosed with EDS when I had my echos, but I believe everyone with EDS should get echos done by someone who knows about EDS and is specifically looking for the right details.

Flop