Need help interpreting echocardiogram

[Stroganoff]

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I just got the results back today. Everything appears to be very normal. Just have a couple questions.

Brief History I requested an echo due to a series of chest pain (different kinds)/SOB/tachycardia episodes that I've been getting since July. I'm a healthy 20 y.o. (5'9, 150 lbs. Not overweight but definitely do not exercise currently due to hernia repair surgery recovery). EKGs show normal sinus rhythms. I don't have access to a scanner, so I can't post these. Chest pains could very well be musculo-skeletal.

Anyway, here's some of the data:

(cm unless otherwise specified)

Aorta: 2.6
L. atrium: 2.6
L. Ventricle ID (dia): 4.4
L. Ventricle ID (sys): 2.1
Intraventricle Septum: 0.6
Post. Wall Thickness: 0.8
Ejection Fraction: 55 ?5%

Findings:
(I'll make it short. Everything normal in size and function.)
* The mitral valve is normal. There is trivial mitral regurgitation.
* The tricuspid valve is normal. There is trivial tricuspid regurgitation.
* The inferior vena cava appears normal. The vessel collapses with inspiration. (My doc said this was normal. Didn't know the VC collapsed!)
* All valves normal. Pericardium normal.

Conclusions:
1. Normal LV size and function. EF 55%
2. No significant valvular abnormalities seen.

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(Separate page)

Format: Component/Value/Low/High/Units

LV Diastolic Diameter/4.4/3.5/5.6/cm
LV Systolic Diameter/2.1/2.5/3.9/cm
LV Ejection Fraction/55/55/70/%

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And now to my questions:

1. The test came back "abnormal" because of the flag raised by the LV Systolic Diameter. 2.1 cm instead of the 2.5-3.9 cm range. What does this mean, and should I be concerned?

2. Also, my primary doc said everyone has some regurgitation. Should I be concerned about my trivial regurgitation? (Mitral and tricuspid)

3. My ejection fraction is about 55%, in the 55-70% range. Should I be concerned? Will beginning a cardio exercise routine improve this number so my LV is more efficient?

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I know I'm only 20, and I'm very relieved that auscultation, EKGs, and an echo show that everything is normal. Chest pain still sucks either way, but at least I'm relieved. OK, so can anyone answer my questions?

THANKS.

 

[jgar26]

And now to my questions:

1. The test came back "abnormal" because of the flag raised by the LV Systolic Diameter. 2.1 cm instead of the 2.5-3.9 cm range. What does this mean, and should I be concerned?

2. Also, my primary doc said everyone has some regurgitation. Should I be concerned about my trivial regurgitation? (Mitral and tricuspid)

3. My ejection fraction is about 55%, in the 55-70% range. Should I be concerned? Will beginning a cardio exercise routine improve this number so my LV is more efficient?


Answers:

1. Given your history and the lack of any other abnormalities on the ECHO, I would not give a second thought to the LV systolic diameter. It would only be significant with other findings.

2. He is right, and 95/100 Echo's I read will have some sort of trivial regurgitation (usually tricuspid), nothing in that report points to any serious valvular pathology.

3. EF's can vary, and as long as yours is in the normal range given the fact that the rest of your ECHO parameters are essentially normal, I would not be worried. Youe heart function is normal.

I would suggest that you get no further testing done, you have an extremely low pretest probability of having heart disease, further testing will only increase your chances for false positive tests and increased anxiety. Hope this helps.