Adult Echocardiography Practice Exam

What does a pulsed wave Doppler tracing primarily identify?

1. Left ventricular systolic function

2. Left ventricular diastolic function

3. Pulmonary artery pressure

4. Aortic valve function

The correct answer is: Left ventricular diastolic function

A pulsed wave Doppler tracing is primarily utilized to assess the left ventricular diastolic function. This technique measures the flow of blood through the heart and major vessels over time, specifically capturing the velocity of blood flow during the different phases of the cardiac cycle. When looking at diastolic function, pulsed wave Doppler evaluates the movement of blood from the left atrium into the left ventricle during diastole. The characteristics of this flow, such as its velocity and pattern, provide insight into how well the left ventricle is able to fill with blood. For instance, a gentle flow pattern with a prominent E wave and a smaller A wave typically indicates normal diastolic function, while changes in this pattern can suggest impaired filling, which is often seen in various cardiac conditions, such as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. In contrast, other options, such as left ventricular systolic function, are better evaluated through techniques like continuous wave Doppler or left ventricular ejection fraction assessment with echocardiographic imaging rather than pulsed wave Doppler. Similarly, pulmonary artery pressure and aortic valve function require different modes of Doppler evaluation for accurate assessment.