The 5-minute screening echocardiogram for athletes.
BACKGROUND
Echocardiography is an accurate way to identify common cardiac abnormalities that lead to sudden death. We report a screening echocardiogram protocol incorporated into the routine athletic medical assessment for all incoming college freshman athletes.


METHODS
A limited 2-dimensional echocardiogram was performed on athletes as part of a routine sports physical examination. The examination was performed by sonographers and senior cardiovascular medicine fellows and interpreted in real time by cardiologists using a 1-page checklist. No images were recorded.


RESULTS
Of the 395 athletes representing 14 sports, 192 were female. The limited 2-dimensional echocardiogram took approximately 5 minutes per athlete. The majority of studies revealed normal findings (84%). A total of 55 had minor abnormalities not requiring follow-up. Five had abnormalities requiring a full echocardiogram and consultation with a cardiologist.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that a rapid screening echocardiogram is feasible and can be incorporated into the routine athletic medical examination for incoming varsity athletes.
Wyman
Rachael A
RA
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA.
Chiu
Regina Y
RY
Rahko
Peter S
PS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013177:Sports; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology