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Transesophageal Echocardiography
Overview
What is Transesophageal
Echocardiography?
Echocardiography is a noninvasive procedure (the skin is not pierced)
used to assess the heart's function and structures. A transducer
(like a microphone) sends out ultrasonic sound waves at a frequency
too high to be heard. When the transducer is placed on the chest
at certain locations and angles, the ultrasonic sound waves move
through the skin and other body tissues to the heart tissues,
where the waves echo off of the heart structures. The transducer
picks up the reflected waves and sends them to a computer. The
computer interprets the echoes into an image of the heart walls
and valves.
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is performed by inserting
a probe with a transducer on the end down the throat. The TEE
transducer works the same as the one described above. However,
a clearer image can be obtained, because the sound waves do not
have to pass through skin, muscle, or bone tissue.
A TEE can utilize one or more of four special types of echocardiography,
as listed below:
- M-Mode echocardiography
This, the simplest type of echocardiography, produces an image
that is similar to a tracing rather than an actual picture of
heart structures. M-mode echo is useful for measuring heart
structures, such as the heart's pumping chambers, the size of
the heart itself, and the thickness of the heart walls.
- Doppler echocardiography
This Doppler technique is used to measure and assess the flow
of blood through the heart's chambers and valves. The amount
of blood pumped out with each beat is an indication of the heart's
functioning. Also, Doppler can detect abnormal blood flow within
the heart, which can indicate a problem with one or more of
the heart's four valves, or with the heart's walls.
- Color Doppler
Color Doppler is an enhanced form of Doppler echocardiography.
With color Doppler, different colors are used to designate the
direction of blood flow. This simplifies the interpretation
of the Doppler technique.
- 2-D (2-dimensional) echocardiography
This technique is used to "see" the actual structures
and motion of the heart structures. A 2-D echo view appears
cone-shaped on the monitor, and the real-time motion of the
heart's structures can be observed. This enables the physician
to see the various heart structures at work and evaluate them.
Reasons
for the Procedure
Transesophageal echocardiography may be scheduled to further evaluate
signs and symptoms that may suggest atherosclerosis, heart disease,
cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure,
aneurysm, valvular heart disease, a cardiac tumor, or other conditions.
Risks of the Procedure
There is a small risk for complications such as breathing problems,
heart rhythm problems, infection of the heart valves, bleeding
of the esophagus, or a reaction to the sedative medication.
Patients with known problems with the esophagus, such as esophageal
varices, esophageal obstruction, or radiation therapy to the area
of the esophagus should be evaluated carefully by the physician
before having the procedure.
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