title: The modern role of transoesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of valvular pathologies.
abstract: Despite significant advancements in the field of cardiovascular imaging, transoesophageal echocardiography remains the key imaging modality in the management of valvular pathologies. This paper provides echocardiographers with an overview of the modern role of TOE in the diagnosis and management of valvular disease. We describe how the introduction of 3D techniques has changed the detection and grading of valvular pathologies and concentrate on its role as a monitoring tool in interventional cardiology. In addition, we focus on the echocardiographic and Doppler techniques used in the assessment of prosthetic valves and provide guidance for the evaluation of prosthetic valves. Finally, we summarise quantitative methods used for the assessment of valvular stenosis and regurgitation and highlight the key areas where echocardiography remains superior over other novel imaging modalities.
authors.affiliation: BHF Centre of Research Excellence, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, UK.|Oxford Heart Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wamil
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Royal Berkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Reading, UK.
authors.forename: Sacha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.affiliation: Oxford Heart Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newton
keywords: 3D echocardiography; TOE; valvular disease