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Figure 4 Relationship Between EROA and 3D-VC Area and 2D-VC Diameter

Relation between effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) derived by the volumetric Doppler method and two-dimensional (2D)-VC diameter (left) and 3D-VC area (right). For the comparison of EROA and 2D-VC diameter, the dotted orange line depicts the projected correlation (based on current American Society of Echocardiography guidelines for the quantification of regurgitation severity). Using a nonlinear correlation model, the relation between VC diameter and EROA did not improve (R² = 0.45 linear model vs. R² = 0.46 nonlinear model). In contrast, the stronger relation observed between 3D-VC area and EROA had a linear regression equation close the line of identity (also shown as a dotted orange line). Abbreviations as in Figure 1.