Bicuspid valve and enlarged aorta MRI results

[Alisbabas]

Hi all,

Ive just had my MRI and then received a letter from my cardiologist saying it was good news as there was only a slight enlargement. I never got to see him just a letter and said see you in 2 years.

After doing some research and the advice all you guys gave me I never got the chance to ask “How big, any regurgitation?” And so on.

I called his secatary and asked for a copy of the MRI and have received it but need help with understanding it.

Low LV mass with normal LV wall thickness.

the mitral valve is unremarkable

The aortic valve is bicuspid with fusion of left and right coronary cusps raphe present.Left sided aortic arch with normal branching pattern.

From LVOT cane image:

Sinus of Valsalva 31 x 30mm

Sinotubular junction 27 x28mm

From MRI:

Ascending aorta level of MPA 38x38mm

Proximal arch 30 x29mm

Mid arch 21 x22mm

Distal 22 x 21 mm

Mid Thoractic Descending 21 x 20 mm

Descending level of diaphragmatic hiatus 18 x 29 mm

right ventrical has visuallly normal volumes and systolic function

conclusion

Normal LV volumes and systolic function

Bicuspid valve with no significant stenosis or regurgitation

Dilated ascending aorta max 38mm

No thoracic aortic coarctation

no previous for comparison

Flow mapping

Peak 151 cm/s

Antegrade 73 ml

Retrograde 1 ml

Regugitant Fraction 1%

Stroke volume 72 ml

Sorry to add everything as I’m not sure about what to put as this is the first time I’ve had this done. Can you help me interpreting this please.

Thanks

Ali

[Dom123]

It sounds like a great scan. How old are you? What is your height and weight? This can help quantify your mild ascending aorta dilation.

The results show your BAV is functioning well with no stenosis or regurgitation.

2 years seems a reasonable interval for further cross-sectional testing.

[Alisbabas in reply to Dom123]

Hiya, I’m 40 5ft in height and 11 stone

Cheers

Ali

[Zabrallo]

Hello Ali,

I was also born with bicuspid aortic valve and was diagnosed 5-6 years ago. I've been told that I need a surgery when MRI showed "severe aortic regurgitation", "sever left ventricle dilatation". By this time my regurgitant fraction was 55per cent.

I would agree that it sounds like a great scan.

[Alisbabas in reply to Zabrallo]

Thanks everyone

[StevepH2012 in reply to Alisbabas]

Welcome to the "watch & wait" club! My bav was detected 4 yrs ago (aged 50) since when I've had annual ecg's and 2 MRI's. Latest moved to bi-annual as AA 50mm in August (threshold for surgery according to surgeon- but this is one of many criteria) and stenosis of bav worsening.

You'll need surgery if the condition of you heart deteriorates to a point when your consultant judges it necessary. If future scans show a slow rate of deterioration this could be many years.

Like other replies, your scan seems good to me - although you don't mention why you had it done.

All the best

Steve

[Alisbabas in reply to StevepH2012]

Thanks Steve, I went to the doctors with chest pain to start and mentioned I had a murmur but I didn’t know what the murmur was as it was picked up 20 years earlier.

Ali