Educational Series in Congenital Heart Disease: Three-dimensional echocardiography in congenital heart disease

Abstract

Three-dimensional echocardiography is a valuable tool for the assessment of cardiac function where it permits calculation of chamber volume and function. The anatomy of valvar and septal structures can be presented in unique and intuitive ways to enhance surgical planning. Guidance of interventional procedures using the technique has now become established in many clinical settings. Enhancements of image processing to include intracavity flow, image fusion and true 3D displays look set to further improve the contribution of this modality to care of the patient with congenital heart disease.

Congenital heart disease diagnosed with echocardiogram in newborns with asymptomatic cardiac murmurs: a systematic review

“…Scoring system: 2 = yes; 1 = unclear or not applicable; 0 = no. Abbreviations: NIH, National Institutes of Health the NICU, by neonatologists [45][46][47][48]. New approaches for the utilization of Echo in newborns with ANCM are warranted.…”

A practical guideline for performing a comprehensive transthoracic echocardiogram in the congenital heart disease patient: consensus recommendations from the British Society of Echocardiography

“…Conversely, an uncomplicated CHD lesion or follow-up surveillance CHD TTE exam may require less time. Additional post-processing time for advanced imaging techniques, such as 3D and speckle tracking, that have been shown to benefit assessment of cardiac morphology, physiology, pathophysiology, and function, should be permitted [ 7 , 21 – 23 ]. Incorporation of advanced imaging techniques into departmental practices is of growing importance in order to develop echocardiography expertise and to aid future research and normative dataset development.…”

Non-invasive Imaging in the Evaluation of Cardiac Shunts for Interventional Closure

“…There are published standards for image acquisition, post-processing, and display of 3D echocardiographic imaging in CHD (6). It is particularly useful for en-face 3D projections of septal walls for evaluation of septal defects, providing an improved appreciation of rims of a defect and its relationship to surrounding structures (7)(8)(9). Improvements in matrix array probes and software also allow for rapid image acquisition in a routine clinical workflow even in small babies and children with fast heart rates without the need for breath-holds (9).…”