Panoramic transesophageal echocardiography.  Clinical application of real-time, wide-angle, transesophageal two-dimensional echocardiography and color flow imaging.
Panoramic transesophageal echocardiography is a new development in transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) technology, which yields a wide-angle imaging field for real-time two-dimensional and color flow imaging.  We report our early experience in patients with the use of an annular-array TEE probe that provides a wide, 270 degrees  angle imaging field for two-dimensional echocardiographic imaging.  The field of view can, however, be narrowed to 15 degrees .  The field of view for color flow imaging can be varied from 180 degrees  to 10 degrees .  Pulsed-Doppler recordings of flow velocity are also possible.  This TEE system provides a panoramic vision of cardiac and paracardiac structures from the esophagus and stomach.  Besides cardiovascular structures, other thoracic and upper abdominal organs can be visualized.  The wide field of view allows a better comprehension of the cardiac anatomy and its relationship with adjacent structures.  The initial experience suggests that this method, besides providing the usually required diagnostic information, may have a number of additional applications.  Its clinical potential and directions for future developments are reviewed.
Departments of Medicine and Radiology, New England Medical Center Hospitals and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
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TL
Hsu
A R
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Weintraub
S B
SB
Ritter
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NG
Pandian
D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005544:Forecasting; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period