Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography evaluation of congenital heart disease

We evaluated the ability of real-time 3-dimensional (RT3D) echocardiography to diagnose congenital heart defects and its potential for presenting stru ctural abnormalities in novel views. Seventy-five patients with suspected c ongenital heart defects were examined with the use of RT3D echocardiography . Images were reviewed off-line as multiple slices of the raw data or as vo lume-rendered images by a blinded observer. Diagnoses made from blinded rev iew of the RT3D images were compared with the clinical report of the 2D ech ocardiogram obtained at the same visit. Real-time 3D echocardiography ident ified all structural abnormalities except for small atrial septal defects i n 2 patients and coronary artery anatomy in D-transposition of the great ar teries. Less than 5 minutes were needed to acquire RT3D images in all cases , and sedation was never required. Unique region-oriented views obtained fr om the 3D data set can be acquired quickly and have the potential to enhanc e understanding of complex cardiac anatomy.