BIPLANE TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN THE NORMAL CAT

Eight healthy, adult cats were examined with biplane transesophageal e chocardiography (TEE), Cats were sedated with a combination of diazepa m and propofol and were examined using a 5 mm x 80 cm pediatric biplan e TEE probe, Consistent images were obtained at three imaging depths w ithin the esophagus, The caudal position provided satisfactory short-a xis images of the left ventricle and heart base, The middle position p rovided the best long-axis views of the left atrium, left ventricle, a nd aorta and allowed Doppler examination of transmitral left ventricul ar inflow, The cranial position provided satisfactory imaging of the a orta and pulmonary artery and allowed Doppler examination of right ven tricular and left ventricular outflow, Biplane TEE provides an additio nal method of imaging the feline heart which is complimentary to other imaging techniques and the images obtained were similar to those repo rted for dogs, Although TEE offers a slight advantage over transthorac ic imaging for Doppler examination, the quality of the images of heart base structures was not as consistently superior to transthoracic ima ges in cats as reported in dogs.