Ductal View
Description
The ductus is a dynamic vessel of variable architecture, with an unpredictable response to treatment. It is not possible to directly quantify the magnitude of transductal flow, however the impact on the pulmonary and systemic circulations are measurable. Two-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler methods can be used to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the significance of the ductal shunt.2D Image
Colour Doppler
Colour Doppler should then be used to identify flow across the PDA. The scale of the colour should be adjusted upwards to remove aliasing. Use pulsed wave Doppler to obtain the flow wave of the PDA. The Doppler video illustrates the three commonest flow patterns on colou Doppler.
Diagram
Common PDA flow patterns.