Dynamic three-dimensional reconstruction of the heart by transesophageal echocardiography.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate echocardiography accuracy in performing and obtaining images for dynamical three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction.


METHODS
Three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction was obtained in 20 consecutive patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography. A multiplanar 5 MHz transducer was used for 3D reconstruction.


RESULTS
Twenty patients were studied consecutively. The following cardiac diseases were present: valvar prostheses--6 (2 mitral, 2 aortic and 2 mitral and aortic); mitral valve prolapse--3; mitral and aortic disease--2; aortic valve disease--5; congenital heart disease--3 (2 atrial septal defect--ASD- and 1 transposition of the great arteries-TGA); arteriovenous fistula--1. In 7 patients, color Doppler was also obtained and used for 3D flow reconstruction. Twenty five cardiac structures were acquired and 60 reconstructions generated (28 of mitral valves, 14 of aortic valves, 4 of mitral prostheses, 7 of aortic prostheses and 7 of the ASD). Fifty five of 60 (91.6%) reconstructions were considered of good quality by 2 independent observers. The 11 reconstructed mitral valves/prostheses and the 2 reconstructed ASDs provided more anatomical information than two dimensional echocardiography (2DE) alone.


CONCLUSIONS
3D echocardiography using a transesophageal transducer is a feasible technique, which improves detection of anatomical details of cardiac structures, particularly of the mitral valve and atrial septum.
Veiga
M de F
Mde F
Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Portugal.
Lopes
M G
MG
Pinto
F J
FJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging