valve, as an alternative method for obtaining

this mean 352. There was a significant correlation between Vp and DE slope (rZ 0.658, pZ 0.000) Eur J Echocardiography (2004) 5, 405e406diastolic index. We studied patients admitted to our coro-nary care unit who were in sinus rhythm, without significant valvulopathy, and with an adequate image of both M-mode echo and M-mode colour Doppler of the mitral valveFigure 1525-2167/$30 ª 2004 The European Society of Cardiology. Publish doi:10.1016/j.euje.2004.08.005(Figure 1). We suggest that M-mode echo of the mitral valve might provide a simple alternative method to colour M-mode Doppler in the assessment of diastolic function of the left ventricle.LETTER TO THE EDITOR Calculation of left ventricular flow velocity propagation from M-mode echocardiography The left ventricular (LV) flow velocity propagation measured by colour M-mode Doppler (Vp) is a useful function diastolic index, with some advan-tages over pulsed Doppler. It might be used to differentiate a normal from a pseudonormal LV filling pattern.1,2 We have observed that the opening of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve closely follows the propagation velocity of flow into the LV. This observation led us to assess the correlation between M-mode echo of the mitral valve and M-mode colour Doppler of the mitral through the apical window. We measured ejec-tion fraction (EF), pulsed Doppler E and A waves, E/A ratio, deceleration time (DT), M-mode colour flow velocity propagation (Vp), and M-mode echo DE slope of the mitral valve (DE). Right heart catheterization was performed in 8 patients. Fifty-seven patients (25 % female) were in-cluded, aged 22e89 years (mean 64). The values obtained were (min, max, mean): EZ 37e115