If the Mitral Valve Area is 1.2 cm2, what is the MS severity?

If the Mitral Valve Area is 1.2 cm2, what is the MS severity?

• A. Mild
• B. Moderate
• C. Severe
• D. Cannot determine

Answer: (B)

Mitral stenosis severity is based on how small the mitral valve area is—the smaller the area, the more severe the obstruction to flow. The standard thresholds are: mild >1.5 cm2, moderate 1.0–1.5 cm2, severe <1.0 cm2. An area of 1.2 cm2 falls within the moderate range, making moderate mitral stenosis the best interpretation. In practice, planimetry from the short-axis view provides a direct measure of MVA, though the pressure-half-time method can be used with caveats (it can be influenced by flow, heart rate, and other lesions). Gradient alone doesn’t define severity as reliably as the valve area does.

Mitral stenosis severity is based on how small the mitral valve area is—the smaller the area, the more severe the obstruction to flow. The standard thresholds are: mild >1.5 cm2, moderate 1.0–1.5 cm2, severe <1.0 cm2. An area of 1.2 cm2 falls within the moderate range, making moderate mitral stenosis the best interpretation. In practice, planimetry from the short-axis view provides a direct measure of MVA, though the pressure-half-time method can be used with caveats (it can be influenced by flow, heart rate, and other lesions). Gradient alone doesn’t define severity as reliably as the valve area does.