Table 4 ESC guidelines on grading the severity of AR by echocardiography [57]
From: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the evaluation of heart valve disease
| Â | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
|---|---|---|---|
Qualitative | |||
 Aortic valve morphology | Normal/abnormal | Normal/abnormal | Abnormal/flail/large coaptation defect. |
 Colour flow AR jet width | Small in central jets | Intermediate | Large in central jets, variable in eccentric jets |
 Continuous wave signal of AR jet | Incomplete/faint | Dense | Dense |
 Diastolic flow reversal in descending aorta | Brief, protodiastolic flow reversal | Intermediate | Holodiastolic flow reversal (end-diastolic velocity > 20 cm/s) |
Semi-quantitative | |||
 Vena contracta width (mm) | <3 | Intermediate | >6 |
 Pressure half-time (ms) | >500 | Intermediate | <200 |
Quantitative | |||
 Effective regurgitant orifice area (mm2) | <10 | 10-29 | ≥30 |
 Regurgitant volume (mL) | <30 | 30-59 | ≥60 |