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Hello, My Brother Had His First Echo In 2016 Due
Question: Hello,
My brother had his first echo in 2016 due to family history of HCM in distant relatives.
It was all clear. And has been annually since then. No sign of HCM.
However, he had another echo a few days after the first one as we just wanted reassurance and supposedly found a better facility.
His second report was also normal except it mentioned slightly thickened aortic valve ??
This was not mentioned in his echo just a few days earlier ?! How could this be ?
None of his subsequent echocardiogram over the past 3 years showed this as well (done somewhere else).
I am just worried as I read thickening of aortic valve is referred to as sclerosis and is only common in people over 65. The doc never mentioned anything and I just stumbled upon it in his old report.
I have attached both reports done days apart.
He was 26 at the time, healthy, goes to the fume everyday but also smokes. No symptoms or underlying diseases.
My brother had his first echo in 2016 due to family history of HCM in distant relatives.
It was all clear. And has been annually since then. No sign of HCM.
However, he had another echo a few days after the first one as we just wanted reassurance and supposedly found a better facility.
His second report was also normal except it mentioned slightly thickened aortic valve ??
This was not mentioned in his echo just a few days earlier ?! How could this be ?
None of his subsequent echocardiogram over the past 3 years showed this as well (done somewhere else).
I am just worried as I read thickening of aortic valve is referred to as sclerosis and is only common in people over 65. The doc never mentioned anything and I just stumbled upon it in his old report.
I have attached both reports done days apart.
He was 26 at the time, healthy, goes to the fume everyday but also smokes. No symptoms or underlying diseases.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome to Ask a Doctor service!
.After carefully reviewing your uploaded echo reports, I would like to reassure you that the cardiac findings are almost the same in both of them.
That slightly thickened aortic valve, which is not found recently can not be explained in different ways other than a difference in the echo machine settings.
In other words, it seems to be more a matter of image acquisition and interpretation, than a true objective finding.
This seems to be reasonable explanation, because it is not possible to disappear a valve sclerosis, even when it is prominent.
Coming to this point, there is nothing to worry about!
His cardiac function and aortiv valve seem to be within normal range.
I hope to have clarified the issue of your concern!
Kind regards,
Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome to Ask a Doctor service!
.After carefully reviewing your uploaded echo reports, I would like to reassure you that the cardiac findings are almost the same in both of them.
That slightly thickened aortic valve, which is not found recently can not be explained in different ways other than a difference in the echo machine settings.
In other words, it seems to be more a matter of image acquisition and interpretation, than a true objective finding.
This seems to be reasonable explanation, because it is not possible to disappear a valve sclerosis, even when it is prominent.
Coming to this point, there is nothing to worry about!
His cardiac function and aortiv valve seem to be within normal range.
I hope to have clarified the issue of your concern!
Kind regards,
Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Thank you for the prompt response doctor.
So would you say that it is a possible artifact ? Is this common ?
The first echo report which doesn’t mention the thickening was taken just 10 days prior to the second one. Would thickened aortic valve possibly appear within 10 days ?!
So would you say that it is a possible artifact ? Is this common ?
The first echo report which doesn’t mention the thickening was taken just 10 days prior to the second one. Would thickened aortic valve possibly appear within 10 days ?!
Brief Answer:
Opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again, dear Fatima!
As I mentioned above, it is not likely that such a valve thickening to change after a few days. It is quite possible to be just a matter of inter-observer interpretation and image acquisition.
This is not a rare happening during echo exams, a finding could be differently interpreted from one exam to the other, as well as echo machine settings change from one echo lab to another.
So relax as nothing of concern seems to be actually present.
Wishing you all the best!
Regards,
Dr. Iliri
Opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again, dear Fatima!
As I mentioned above, it is not likely that such a valve thickening to change after a few days. It is quite possible to be just a matter of inter-observer interpretation and image acquisition.
This is not a rare happening during echo exams, a finding could be differently interpreted from one exam to the other, as well as echo machine settings change from one echo lab to another.
So relax as nothing of concern seems to be actually present.
Wishing you all the best!
Regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you doctor.
One last question, is aortic sclerosis related to or a sign of HCM ? or is it a different heart issue ?
Would HCM affect the aortic valve or just the septum ?
One last question, is aortic sclerosis related to or a sign of HCM ? or is it a different heart issue ?
Would HCM affect the aortic valve or just the septum ?
Brief Answer:
I would explain:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Aortic sclerosis is not a sign of HCM; it may be found in patients without HCM and also in the presence of HCM.
In HCM patients do to the alteration in left ventricular outflow tract aortic regurgitation may be found in around a quarter of patients.
Hope to have clarified your issues of interest!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Aortic sclerosis is not a sign of HCM; it may be found in patients without HCM and also in the presence of HCM.
In HCM patients do to the alteration in left ventricular outflow tract aortic regurgitation may be found in around a quarter of patients.
Hope to have clarified your issues of interest!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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