Two- and three-dimensional echocardiography

It is a noninvasive procedure. A probe transmits high-frequency sound waves to the heart, generating echoes that are processed by the computer and transformed into two- or three-dimensional images.

How it is performed
The examination, which requires no patient preparation, is performed using a small probe that rests on the chest.

It is an invasive procedure by which detailed information about cardiac structures and vessels starting from the heart can be obtained. In the transesophageal approach, the probe is introduced through the oral cavity into the esophagus so that it is located at the heart. Such proximity allows much more accurate images to be obtained, thanks to the availability of machines capable of extraordinary computational power, capable of processing three-dimensional moving images. Examinations performed with these machines offer the cardiologist and cardiac surgeon images that are quite comparable to those of an anatomical dissection. More: the images can be rotated in any direction, offering the best understanding of spatial relationships between anatomical structures.

Since the availability of these images occurs in real time, it is easy to understand the extent of the innovation not only in the diagnostic phase, but also in the interventional setting, both cardiology and cardiac surgery.

How it is performed
Preparation is required to perform this examination; one must fast from midnight the previous day, and at the time of the examination, a mild sedative is administered and the throat is anesthetized with a lidocaine spray.