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.
Hsu
T L
TL
Departments of Medicine and Radiology, New England Medical Center Hospitals and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
Weintraub
A R
AR
Ritter
S B
SB
Pandian
N G
NG
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