title: Dynamic three-dimensional echocardiography in the assessment of cor triatriatum.
abstract: Classic cor triatriatum sinistrum is a rare cardiac malformation to be found in the adult. One year after surgical correction of an atrial septal defect in a 55-year-old man, cor triatriatum sinistrum was diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography. We compared transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization to dynamic three-dimensional echocardiography (3-D echo) which offers a new, noninvasive approach to determine the opening size between the accessory and the true left atrium. The findings by 3-D echo, confirmed by left heart catheterization, showed that the accessory membrane was not stenosing. Surgical correction was therefore not indicated in this patient.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik I., Charité, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Melzer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bartel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Kleber
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baumann
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D003310:Cor Triatriatum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged