What echocardiographic technique is best to quantify pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP)?

The technique that is best suited for quantifying pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) is through continuous wave Doppler of the tricuspid regurgitant jet. This method measures the velocity of blood flow regurgitating from the right ventricle back into the right atrium during systole. By applying the Bernoulli equation, which correlates the relationship between the velocity of the regurgitant jet and the pressure gradient across the tricuspid valve, the estimated pressure gradient can subsequently be used to determine PASP.

In practice, higher velocities of the tricuspid regurgitant jet indicate higher pressure in the right ventricle, which reflects elevated pressures within the pulmonary artery. Thus, this Doppler technique is a non-invasive and effective means to assess cardiac function and estimate pulmonary artery pressures, making it a critical component of echocardiographic evaluations related to pulmonary hypertension.