[Symptomatic severe chronic aortic valve disease: a comparative study of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography].

OBJECTIVE To show the real value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) in the evaluation of patients with symptomatic chronic aortic valve disease. METHODS Seventy patients--35 with aortic stenosis (AoS) and 35 with aortic regurgitation (AoR) with surgical indication, who underwent preoperative echocardiogram (ECHO) and CMRI to assess ventricular function, volumes, and left ventricular mass index using cine magnetic resonance imaging, were studied. RESULTS No statistically significant difference was observed between the AoS and AoR groups when ECHO and CMRI variables were compared. When compared with the type of symptom, ECHO and CMRI variables showed the same pattern. CONCLUSION CMRI data were in agreement with ECHO data regarding the assessment of left ventricular volume and ejection fraction, and with the clinical presentation of patients with chronic aortic valve disease.