BACKGROUND The effective orifice area (EOA) estimated by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTE) via the continuity equation is commonly used to determine the severity of aortic stenosis (AS). However, there are often discrepancies between TTE-derived EOA and invasive indices of stenosis, thus raising uncertainty about actual definite severity. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has e...

BACKGROUND Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is routinely used to calculate aortic valve area (AVA) by continuity equation (CE). However, accurate measurement of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) can be difficult and flow acceleration in the LVOT may lead to miscalculation of the AVA. OBJECTIVE The aim of our study was to compare AVA measurements by standard TTE, cardiac magnetic r...

BACKGROUND A hybrid approach to minimally invasive perventricular closure of VSD in infants is safe and effective, and has been performed under guidance of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). We applied transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) guidance to this hybrid approach, and compare results guided by TTE with those by TEE. METHODS From January 2011 to January 2012, 71 infants with VSD ...

In this report, we evaluate 56 consecutive adult patients who underwent standard two-dimensional (2D) and live three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D TTE), as well as left heart catheterization with aortography (45 patients) or cardiac surgery (11 patients), for evaluation of aortic insufficiency. Similar to the method we previously described for mitral insufficiency, aortic regur...

We studied whether diameters of coronary arteries can be measured accurately with the use of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). By knowing the anatomic diameter of the coronary artery together with coronary flow velocity it is possible to measure coronary flow volume more precisely by TTE. However, the suitability of TTE for measurement of diameters of all main epicardial coronary arteries h...

INTRODUCTION We previously reported that the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) was higher in patients undergoing scheduled transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) than in patients undergoing abdominal ultrasonography (AUS); however, intergroup patient backgrounds differed significantly in that report. PURPOSE We tested the hypothesis that TTE could detect AAA as effectively as AUS....

OBJECTIVE To explore the diagnostic yield of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and assess the effect of echocardiographic findings on subsequent therapy. METHODS In this retrospective study, we reviewed TTE reports and hospital records of patients diagnosed with a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), screening for potential cardiac sources of embolism (CSE) from January 2006 to Dece...

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to assess the accuracy of harmonic imaging 2D-transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE) segmental analysis compared to surgical findings, in degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). METHODS Seventy-seven consecutive patients with severe degenerative MR were prospectively enrolled. Preoperative 2D-TTE with precise localization of prolapsing or flailing scallops...

Background. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is superior to transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) in detecting left atrial thrombus (LAT), a risk factor for stroke, but is costly and invasive, carrying a higher risk for complications. Aims. To determine the utility of using left atrial enlargement (LAE) on TTE to predict LAT on TEE. Methods. AIS patients who presented in 06/2008-7/2013 and und...

BACKGROUND Echocardiography has been a popular modality used to aid in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) with the modified Duke criteria. We evaluated the necessity between the uses of either a transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) or transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25 kg/m(2) and less than 25 kg/m(2). METHODS ...