Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography: An overview

Conventional echocardiography and its representation of the heart in a two- dimensional format only provide partial information about cardiac function. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography is a recently developed techn ique based on the design of an ultrasound transducer with a matrix array th at instantaneously acquires the image contained in a pyramidal volume. The simultaneous display of multiple tomographic images allows the anatomically correct examination of any structure contained within the volumetric image . Software and technologies based on high performance computers designed fo r graphic handling of three-dimensional images permit the rapid mapping of the volumetric image and provide possibilities beyond those of the echograp h. Using this methodology, it is possible to simultaneously visualize multi ple superimposed planes in an interactive manner. Real-time three-dimension al echocardiography also allows a quantitative assessment of cardiac volume s, ventricular mass, and myocardium with contraction and/or perfusion abnor malities. This technique thus expands the abilities of non-invasive cardiol ogy and may open new doors for the evaluation of cardiac disease.