Method and system for evaluating valvular function

A method of determining regurgitation, the method comprising:

• receiving Doppler signals;
• processing the Doppler signals in accordance with a strength of a Doppler signal to differentiate between Doppler signals received from tissue from Doppler signals received from blood, and assigning color to the Doppler signals in accordance with their strength;
• examining the processed Doppler signals so as to determine a cardiac cycle;
• and
• determining regurgitation as a ratio of a reverse blood flow as a percentage of a forward blood flow.

An apparatus for determining regurgitation , the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving Doppler signals;
• means for processing the Doppler signals in accordance with a strength of a Doppler signal to differentiate between Doppler signals received from tissue from Doppler signals received from blood, and assigning color to the Doppler signals in accordance with their strength;
• means for receiving an ECG signal;
• means for correlating the ECG and Doppler signals so as to determine systole and diastole periods;
• and
• means for determining regurgitation by estimating a peak reverse blood flow based on Doppler signals from blood at systole

An apparatus for determining regurgitation , the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving Doppler signals;
• means for processing the Doppler signals in accordance with a strength of a Doppler signal to differentiate between Doppler signals received from tissue from Doppler signals received from blood, and assigning color to the Doppler signals in accordance with their strength;
• means for examining the processed Doppler signals so as to determine a cardiac cycle;
• and
• means for determining regurgitation as the ratio of a reverse blood flow as a percentage of a forward blood flow.

A computer readable media embodying a method of encoding data, the method comprising:

• processing Doppler signals in accordance with a strength of a Doppler signal to differentiate between Doppler signals received from tissue from Doppler signals received from blood, and assigning color to the Doppler signals in accordance with their strength;
• correlating ECG and Doppler signals so as to determine systole and diastole periods;
• and
• determining regurgitation by estimating a peak reverse blood flow based on Doppler signals from blood at systole

A computer readable media embodying a method of encoding data, the method comprising:

• processing Doppler signals in accordance with a strength of a Doppler signal to differentiate between Doppler signals received from tissue from Doppler signals received from blood, and assigning color to the Doppler signals in accordance with their strength;
• examining the processed Doppler signals so as to determine a cardiac cycle;
• and
• determining regurgitation as the ratio of a reverse blood flow as a percentage of a forward blood flow.