Echocardiography Techniques I Exam 1 Practice

What is vena contracta and what does a wider width indicate in mitral regurgitation?

The narrowest width of the MR jet just downstream of the regurgitant orifice; wider width indicates more severe MR. The widest portion of the MR jet upstream of the regurgitant orifice. The length of the MR jet within the left atrium. The distance from the regurgitant orifice to the mitral annulus.

Correct Answer:

The narrowest width of the MR jet just downstream of the regurgitant orifice; wider width indicates more severe MR.

Explanation:

Vena contracta is the narrowest portion of the regurgitant jet right after it exits the mitral orifice. Its width reflects the size of the regurgitant orifice: a larger orifice produces a wider vena contracta, which corresponds to more severe mitral regurgitation. In practice, you measure this narrowest jet segment on color Doppler in the view where the jet is best seen, and a wider width indicates greater severity. The other descriptions refer to parts of the jet that are not the vena contracta: upstream orifice regions, the jet’s length within the left atrium, or the distance from the orifice to the annulus.

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