ABSTRACT
Echocardiography has become the examination of choice for evaluating valvular heart disease. Two-dimensional echo provides an excellent tomographic examination of all the cardiac valves. Motion Mode records the subtle motion of the individual valves. Doppler evaluates the hemodynamic status of the valves. Stenotic and regurgitant valves are detected by abnormal flow pattern and color imaging. Rheumatic fever if autoimmune in origin caused by antibodies to streptococcal bacterial antigen found in heart. In acute stage there is inflammation of all the layers of the heart (pancarditis) thickening of the leaflets and fusion of the commissures. The left atrium and right side of heart chambers become dilated and hypertrophied. Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the most common valvular heart disease in industrialized nations affecting approximately 3-5% of population-at large, mostly in older children and adolescents. MVP is an autosomal dominant genetically transmitted disease.
