The Bicuspid Aortic Valve Condition: The Critical Role of Echocardiography and the Case for a Standard Nomenclature Consensus.

The bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) condition is characterized by prominent heterogeneity of its valvular phenotypic expression, of its associated disorders, its complications and its prognosis. Echocardiography serves as the first-line imaging modality in 5 major capacities: (1) BAV diagnosis, (2) valvular phenotyping, (3) assessment of valvular function, (4) measurement of the thoracic aorta and exclusion of aortic coarctation, and (5) assessment of uncommon but serious complications such as infective endocarditis and aortic dissection. This article presents a nosological perspective on the BAV condition, discusses the critical role of echocardiography as it relates to these 5 aforementioned capacities; and makes the case for a unified standard nomenclature for the BAV condition.