Severity assessment

The severity of aortic regurgitation can be assessed by echo-Doppler qualitatively and quantitatively. The width of the regurgitant jet at its narrowest point, vena contracta, is a qualitative method to assess the severity of aortic regurgitation, which roughly correlates with the size of the regurgitant orifice. Advanced Doppler principles provide us with more quantitative measures of regurgitant volume and regurgitant orifice size.