The aortic valve is one of four valves in the heart, located between the left ventricle and the aorta. It normally has three thin leaflets, or cusps, that open during systole to allow blood to be ejected from the heart and close during diastole to prevent blood from flowing backward. On echocardiography, the aortic valve is routinely evaluated for stenosis, regurgitation, and structural abnormalities like bicuspid valve, which is a congenital condition where the valve has only two cusps instead of three. The aortic valve is one of the most commonly diseased heart valves and is a frequent focus of both diagnostic imaging and interventional procedures.
Sonography Term