Adult Echocardiography Practice Exam

What condition can be better visualized in a parasternal short axis image?

1. Commissural fusion of mitral valve leaflets

2. Mitral valve prolapse

3. Flail mitral valve leaflet

4. Mitral stenosis

The correct answer is: Commissural fusion of mitral valve leaflets

In the context of echocardiography, the parasternal short-axis view is particularly useful for visualizing structures within the left ventricle, especially the mitral valve. This view allows for a cross-sectional analysis of the valve and its anatomy. Commissural fusion of the mitral valve leaflets is effectively visualized in this view because it provides a clear look at the leaflet configuration and their boundaries at the level of the commissures. This condition often arises in rheumatic heart disease, where the leaflets may be thickened and fused, and the parasternal short axis can highlight these pathologies by showing the altered left ventricular inflow tract and the valve motion. In contrast, while mitral valve prolapse may also be seen in the parasternal short-axis view, its best visualization generally occurs in the apical four-chamber view, where the displacement of the prolapsing leaflet is more apparent. The flail mitral valve leaflet can be seen in any view that captures the valve, but the severity and motion may be more readily assessed from different perspectives such as the apical views. Mitral stenosis, although observable from a parasternal short-axis view, is more characterized by changes in the valve’s movement and chamber sizes better