title: Evaluation of shunt flow by multiplane transesophageal echocardiography in adult patients with isolated patent ductus arteriosus.
abstract: The role of multiplane (M) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the diagnosis of isolated patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in adults and its effectiveness in the assessment of the pulmonary to systemic flow ratio were evaluated and compared with those obtained from cardiac catheterization examination. Eleven consecutive patients, ranging from 17 to 56 years old (mean of 29.5 +/- 12.0), with clinically suspected PDA were subjects of this study. A complete transthoracic echocardiographic study was performed in each patient before MTEE. MTEE with Doppler color flow mapping showed clear visualization of a ductal structure between the descending aorta and pulmonary artery with a continuous turbulent mosaic flow suggestive of PDA in all 11 patients. The pulmonary/systemic flow and vascular resistance ratios obtained by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization correlated well (r = 0.8732, P =.0004; r = 0.623, P =.04, respectively). This study demonstrated that MTEE combined with transthoracic echocardiography examination is an accurate noninvasive means in the diagnosis of PDA and assessment of the pulmonary to systemic flow and vascular resistance ratios in adult patients.
authors.affiliation: Second Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Tai
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kuo-Chun
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: I-Chang
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Hern-Jia
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Shyan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chern
authors.forename: Fun-Chung
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Delon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged