Case 4 — Echocardiograms of the Aorta

Right parasternal long-axis echocardiogram showing the left ventricle (LV) and the aorta (AO) in a longitudinal view
Right parasternal long-axis view showing the left ventricle (LV) and aorta (AO).
Right parasternal cross-sectional view at the base of the heart showing the aorta in the center surrounded by the left atrium (LA), right atrium (RA), right ventricle, and pulmonary artery (PA). The edges of the three aortic valve cusps are visible and appear thickened.
Cross-sectional view at the base of the heart. The three aortic valve cusp edges are visible and thickened. LA = left atrium; RA = right atrium; PA = pulmonary artery.
Right parasternal cross-sectional view immediately below the aortic root showing a circular ring of tissue (arrow) bounded by the left atrium (LA) on the left and myocardium cranially and to the right. This subaortic ring is smaller than the aortic root above it, indicating subvalvular stenosis.
View immediately beneath the aortic root. The arrow points to a circular ring of subvalvular tissue that is smaller than the aortic root (compare to the cross-sectional view above). LA = left atrium.

The third view is immediately beneath the view of the aorta taken above. There is a circular ring of tissue (arrow) that is bounded by the left atrium (LA) on the left (of the dog) and by myocardium cranially and to the right (of the dog). This ring of tissue lies immediately beneath the aortic root and is smaller than the root of the aorta (compare to the previous view).

Right parasternal long-axis two-dimensional echocardiogram of the LVOT and aorta from a different dog with the same lesion as Yankee

Color flow Doppler of the same region as above

Quiz

1. The narrowed region immediately below the aortic valve will create what?

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