transthoracic echocardiography

transthoracic echocardiography

Two-dimensional transthoracic color-flow Doppler echocardiography TTE Cardiology A noninvasive imaging technique used as a screening method for analyzing defects of locoregional fluid distribution or blood flow patterns–eg, pericardial effusion or aortic regurgitation; TTE is less sensitive than transesophagel color-flow Doppler echocardiography or spin-echo MRI in detecting thoracic aneurysms because of anatomic and technical drawbacks–eg, limited field of view Indications Assessment of: acute endocarditis, acute MI, aortic disease, cardiotoxic agents–adriamycin, corticosteroids, opiates, carbon monoxide, radiation, cardiomyopathy, CAD, congenital heart disease, hypertensive heart disease-left ventricular hypertrophy, intracardiac lesions–thrombi, embolism, masses–eg, myxoma, pericardial disease, post-heart transplant, prosthetic valves, valve disease, ventricular dysfunction