The tricuspid valve is one of four heart valves, positioned between the right atrium and the right ventricle. It has three leaflets (anterior, posterior, and septal) that open during diastole to allow blood to flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle, and close during systole to prevent backflow. On echocardiography, the tricuspid valve is evaluated for structural abnormalities (thickening, prolapse, vegetation), regurgitation, and stenosis. The tricuspid annulus diameter is measured to assess for dilation, which often accompanies right-sided heart failure. As noted under tricuspid regurgitation, the TR jet velocity is used to estimate pulmonary pressures. Ebstein anomaly, a congenital malformation where the tricuspid valve is displaced downward into the right ventricle, is an important condition identified on echocardiography.
Sonography Term