| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Left Ventricle (LV) | Main pumping chamber that sends blood to the body. |
| Right Ventricle (RV) | Pumps blood to the lungs. |
| Left Atrium (LA) | Receives oxygenated blood from the lungs. |
| Right Atrium (RA) | Receives deoxygenated blood from the body. |
| Interventricular Septum (IVS) | Wall between the left and right ventricles. |
| Interatrial Septum (IAS) | Wall between the left and right atria. |
| Pericardium | Outer lining of the heart. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mitral Valve | Valve between LA and LV. |
| Tricuspid Valve | Valve between RA and RV. |
| Aortic Valve | Valve between LV and aorta. |
| Pulmonic Valve | Valve between RV and pulmonary artery. |
| Valve Regurgitation | Leaky valve causing backflow. |
| Valve Stenosis | Narrowed valve causing restricted flow. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ejection Fraction (EF) | % of blood pumped from LV; normal is 55–70%. |
| Wall Motion Abnormality | Part of heart wall not contracting normally. |
| Hypokinesis | Reduced wall motion. |
| Akinesis | No wall motion. |
| Dyskinesis | Abnormal or paradoxical motion. |
| LV Hypertrophy | Thickened LV wall. |
| Diastolic Dysfunction | Impaired filling of the ventricle. |
| Systolic Dysfunction | Impaired contraction of the ventricle. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Color Doppler | Shows direction and turbulence of blood flow. |
| Pulse Wave Doppler | Measures flow at a specific point. |
| Continuous Wave Doppler | Measures high velocity flow (across valves). |
| Spectral Doppler | Graph showing velocity vs time. |
| E-wave / A-wave | Mitral inflow waves during diastole (early filling and atrial contraction). |
| E/A Ratio | Helps assess diastolic function. |
| VTI (Velocity Time Integral) | Measures stroke distance from Doppler flow. |
| Pressure Gradient | Difference in pressure across a valve (calculated via velocity). |
| Valve | Normal Peak Velocity (m/s) |
|---|---|
| Mitral Valve (E-wave) | 0.6 – 1.3 m/s |
| Mitral Valve (A-wave) | 0.2 – 0.7 m/s |
| Tricuspid Valve | 0.3 – 0.7 m/s |
| Aortic Valve | 1.0 – 1.7 m/s |
| Pulmonic Valve | 0.6 – 0.9 m/s |
| LVOT (Left Ventricular Outflow Tract) | 0.7 – 1.1 m/s |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| LVEDD / LVESD | Left ventricular end-diastolic/systolic diameter. |
| LA Volume Index | Normal <34 mL/m²; increased in atrial enlargement. |
| LV Mass Index | Indicates hypertrophy. |
| TAPSE | Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion — RV function. |
| RVSP | Right Ventricular Systolic Pressure — pulmonary pressure estimate. |
| Pericardial Effusion | Fluid around the heart. |
| Tamponade | Compression of the heart due to fluid. |
| Thrombus | Blood clot, often in LV apex or LA. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| TTE | Transthoracic Echo — standard chest ultrasound. |
| TEE | Transesophageal Echo — probe down the esophagus. |
| Stress Echo | Performed under physical or drug-induced stress. |
| Contrast Echo | Uses bubbles or dye to improve visibility. |
| 3D Echo | Provides three-dimensional view. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Strain Imaging | Assesses myocardial deformation. |
| GLS | Global Longitudinal Strain — early LV dysfunction indicator. |
| Speckle Tracking | Technique for measuring strain. |
| Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) | Measures heart muscle motion velocity. |
| E/e' ratio | Used to estimate LV filling pressure. |
