Valves/Aorta

Aortic Stenosis

• Mild = valve area < 2 cm2

• Severe = valve area < 1 cm2

• Critical = valve area < 0.8 cm2

Bicuspid Aortic Valve

• Congenital form

  • Fishmouth appearance

  • Typically non-calcified (unless for other reasons but good way to differentiate between acquired and congenital forms with this)

  • Commonly seed a fused raphe (thickened tissue where the two leaflets should have been divided)

  • Associated with aortic coarctation, aortic aneurysms, dissection and dilatation

• Acquired

  • Occurs due to fusion of two of the leaflets typically from infection or degenerative changes

  • Leaflets are anatomically normal otherwise and are typically heavily calcified

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