Abstract
Rheumatic heart disease is a late complication of acute rheumatic fever and remains a significant cause of valvular heart disease. Valvular lesions in RHD result from an autoimmune response to streptococcal infection, leading to chronic inflammation, scarring, and damage to cardiac valves, particularly the mitral valve. The objective of the study was to determine the echocardiographic findings of valvular lesions in patients with rheumatic heart disease. A retrospective study was conducted in the Radiology department of Fatima Memorial Hospital, Shadman, Lahore. A total of 47 patients were selected according to the inclusion criteria. Among the 47 patients, 25 were diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and 16 had valvular lesions detected on echocardiography. Mitral regurgitation and aortic regurgitation were the common valvular lesions observed. Doppler echocardiography proved to be a simple and effective technique for detecting valvular lesions. The findings indicate that valvular involvement is common among patients with rheumatic heart, with mitral and aortic valve lesions being the most frequent abnormalities.