The distribution of axial velocities in the pulmonary artery must be determined to describe accurately the flow in the pulmonary artery. Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated the complexity of the velocity profile in the pulmonary trunk and the branch pulmonary arteries with normal and altered pulmonary blood flow. These findings have demonstrated a skewed, parabolic mean velocity profile in the pulmonary trunk under normal hemodynamic conditions. To determine the effect of left-to-right intracardiac shunting on the distribution of axial velocities in the pulmonary artery, an animal model of atrial and ventricular shunting was used. In both models, the distribution of mean axial velocities remained skewed and parabolic with the higher mean velocities recorded toward the anterior wall.
