No other imaging modality has so much contributed to the development of our knowledge in cardiology such as echocardiography. More than half a century has passed since the first exploration of human cardiac structures was obtained in vivo. In early 1950s two pioneers, I. Edler and CH Hertz, certainly were full of enthusiasm and willingness in pursuing research once they realized that the heart could be explored thanks to a single ultrasound beam oriented in the chest by the hand of a physician, but very unlikely, at that time, they were able to minimally predict both the future extraordinary technological evolution of cardiac ultrasound and its unbelievable impact on the progress of our understanding and recognition of almost every cardiac disease. In half a century of its history and technological evolution echocardiography has been the object of extremely important methodological achievements: the initial simple single beam exploration of the heart has evolved to progressively more and more sophisticated diagnostic potentials such as two dimensional echocardiography, pulsed and continuous Doppler, stress echocardiography, digital storage and treatment of images, transesophageal echocardiography, tissue analysis, contrast echocardiography, etc. Although rich of success and clinical achievements the technological evolution of cardiac ultrasound is still in progress.
Three dimensional echocardiography, initially considered a dream of the echo lovers, is nowadays no longer a technological experiment; three dimensional echocardiography is becoming more and more a feasible diagnostic approach and for a progressive percentage of cardiac disease the diagnostic standard. I’ve had the privilege to live the entire evolution of cardiac ultrasound in the last 35 years and to personally appreciate the enormous impact of each technological achievement since the time of single beam, or also called M-Mode, echocardiography, both in research and patients management. Three dimensional echocardiography is the last achievement and those that are willing to be involved in this last frontier need to be interfaced with the experience of the recognized experts. In this respect the Textbook of Real-Time Three Dimensional Echocardiography written by Luigi Badano, Pepe Zamorano and Roberto Lang represents an important contribution since it covers not only the technological peculiarities of this fascinating new diagnostic technique, but also presents its potential in the relevant cardiac conditions that can take advantage from such a new and sophisticated exploration.
Tremendous improvements in ultrasound electronics and computer technology have led to development of one of the most impressive advancements of the use of ultrasounds to assess cardiac morphology and function: three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE). During the last decade, 3DE has made a dramatic transition from predominantly a research tool used in few large academic medical centers to a technology available in most echo labs, cardiac surgery operating rooms and catheterization and/or electrophysiology labs to address everyday clinical practice and guide interventional procedures.
Nowadays, 3DE is an established technique able to provide intuitive recognition of cardiac structures from any spatial point of view and complete information about absolute heart chamber volumes and function. In particular, 3DE has demonstrated its superiority over current echocardiographic modalities in several clinical applications:
- assessment of left ventricular size and function whose accuracy compete with cardiac magnetic resonance;
- Reliable and accurate assessment of right ventricular size and function;
- Comprehensive visualization and quantitation of heart valve morphology and function leading to improved understanding of their function;
- Improved display of complex spatial relationships between structures in patients with congenital heart lesions;
- Guiding and monitoring surgical interventions and interventional procedures in the catheterization and electrophysiology lab.
Contents
- 1 The Evolution of Three-Dimensional Echocardiography: How Did It Happen
- 2 Technical Principles of Transthoracic Three-Dimensional Echocardiography
- 3 3D Transesophageal Echocardiographic Technologies
- 4 Three-Dimensional Echocardiography in Clinical Practice
- 5 Advanced Evaluation of LV Function with 3D Echocardiography
- 6 Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Evaluation of the Mitral Valve
- 7 Three Dimensional Echocardiographic Evaluation of LV Dyssynchrony and Stress Testing
- 8 Three-Dimensional Echocardiography of Aortic Valve
- 9 Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Evaluation of the Right Ventricle
- 10 Three-Dimensional Echocardiography in Congenital Heart Disease
- 11 Three-Dimensional Echocardiography to Assess Intra-cardiac Masses
- 12 Real Time Three Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography for Guidance of Catheter Based Interventions
- 13 Future Developments of Three-Dimensional Echocardiography
- 14 Real-Time Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography
- 15 The Role of Echocardiography in the Surgical Management of Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease
- 16 Visualization and Assessment of Coronary Arteries with Three-Dimensional Echocardiography
- 17 Assessment of Tricuspid Valve Morphology and Function
- 18 Role of Three-Dimensional Echocardiography in Drug Trials
- Index
Product Details
- Hardcover: 210 pages
- Publisher: Springer; 1st edition (2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1849964947
- ISBN-13: 978-1849964944
- Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
List Price: $139.00