Real-time, three-dimensional echocardiography

Abstract

It has long been desirable to acquire as much spatial anatomic data about the heart as possible. Two-dimensional echocardiography offered considerable advantages over M-mode echocardiography because of the ability to provide real-time tomographic images of the heart and it extended the ability of practicioners to make complex diagnostic decisions. In the beginning, there were questions by some whether two-dimensional approaches were worth the time and expense. Continued experience with these methods provided an opportunity for clinicians to ask new questions. Similarly, three-dimensional echocardiography appears to be a desirable goal as it would likely provide a method for deriving new anatomic, functional and flow indices of the human heart.