Transesophageal real-time three-dimensional echocardiography : Methods and initial in vitro and human in vivo studies

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2006-11, Vol.48 (10), p.2070-2076
• Main Authors: HANDKE, Michael, HEINRICHS, Gudrun, MOSER, Urs, HIRT, Felix, MARGADANT, Felix, GATTIKER, Felix, BODE, Christoph, GEIBEL, Annette
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aorta - diagnostic imaging; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular system; Catheters; Computer Systems; Coronary vessels; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional - methods; Echocardiography, Transesophageal - instrumentation; Echocardiography, Transesophageal - methods; Heart; Heart Ventricles; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Models, Cardiovascular; Studies; Ultrasonic investigative techniques
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2006.08.013

The purpose of this study was to develop a transesophageal probe that: 1) enables on-line representation of the spatial structures of the heart, and 2) enables navigation of medical instruments. Whereas transthoracic real-time 3-dimensional (3D) echocardiography could recently be implemented, there is still no corresponding transesophageal system. Transesophageal real-time 3D echocardiography would have great potential for numerous clinical applications, such as navigation of catheters. The newly developed real-time 3D system is based on a transesophageal probe in which multiple transducers are arranged in an interlaced pattern on a rotating cylinder. This enables continuous recording of a large echo volume of 70 mm in length and a sector angle of 120 degrees . The presentation of the volume-reconstructed data is made with a time lag of