[Transesophageal echocardiography. A new cardiologic examination method].
Transoesophageal echocardiography is a new diagnostic method which uses the oesophagus as an ultrasonic window to the heart and central vessels. The images obtained are often of supreme quality compared to those obtained by conventional transthoracic echocardiography, because the distance between the transducer and the heart is reduced. The equipment, the examination technique, and preliminary experience after 80 examinations are described. It is concluded that the technique is particularly informative in patients with endocarditis or mitral valve disease and that the transoesophageal approach has become essential for the diagnosis of prosthetic valve dysfunction. Furthermore, the technique allows visualization of the descending aorta, which is often impossible to image from the precordial window, and the technique has proved useful in the emergency diagnostic elucidation of aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. So far a limited number of formal investigations comparing the results of transoesophageal echocardiography with the results of reference methods have been performed, however, practical clinical experience is already sufficiently extensive to state that transoesophageal echocardiography has come to stay. Disregarding coronary angiography it seems probable that combined transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography with time will eliminate the need for cardiac catheterization and angiography.
Tingleff
J
J
Rigshospitalet, thoraxkirurgisk afdeling RT, København.
Egeblad
H
H
Berning
J
J
D000075202:Contraindications; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D004947:Esophagus; D006801:Humans