Comparison of audio and video data sources for quantitative analysis of echocardiographic Doppler velocity profiles

Computer based, off-line quantitative Doppler velocity profile image analysis can utilize either the audio or video formats of the echocardiography machine. The audio and video data are each corrupted, in some way, relative to the Doppler information from which they originate. To compare the suitability of each source for quantitative model-based image processing analysis, audio and video transmitral Doppler data were input to an algorithm for automated determination of diastolic filling parameters. Selected clinical examples were used to assess the sensitivity of the algorithm to variations in processing parameters in order to provide a measure of robustness for each data source. The frame-grabbed video image was less sensitive than the processed audio to variations in the algorithm´s spectral noise threshold setting