An introduction to transoesophageal echocardiography: I. Basic principles

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to introduce the uninitiated to transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE): how it works, and what it can do. Sufficient detail is provided to serve as a reference guide to anaesthetists already using TEE in clinical practice. Source: A Medline search of English language literature up to and including August 1995 was conducted using the key words echocardiography and TEE. Reference echocardiography textbooks were also utilized in the preparation of this review. Principle findings: All information available from TEE is derived from either cardiac imaging or analysis of blood flow velocity using various Doppler modes. To understand the diagnostic capabilities of TEE we review clinically useful views of the heart us well as modes of cardiac imaging. Sufficient basic physics is presented to allow proper use of adjustment features on the echocardiography machine so that cardiac imaging can be optimized. Available Doppler modes are explained along with an overview of their clinical applications. Figures illustrating clinically useful views obtainable with omniplane TEE are included along with colour prints demonstrating clinical applications of colour flow Doppler. Conclusion: TEE is becoming increasingly important in the management of cardiac patients for cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. An understanding of the capabilities of the technology as well as the underlying physics allows the anaesthetist to glean the most information from this valuable technique, both quantitatively and qualitatively.