Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic assessment of variably shaped ductus arteriosus by the parasternal approach.

Parasternal two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were compared with angiographic, surgical, and postmortem data in 213 patients with various forms of congenital heart disease for its accuracy in determining patency and anatomy of the ductus arteriosus (DA). The age range of the examined patients was from 1 day to 4 years (mean, 7.4 months). Echocardiography was always performed before any invasive procedure. An adequate window for imaging the DA was obtained by parasternal, two-dimensional echocardiography in 209 patients (98%). A persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was detected by invasive methods in 79 of 209 patients (38%), and by two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography in 76 (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 100%). The echocardiographic and angiographic findings agreed closely as to the duct's morphology. Our technique permits an accurate visualization of the duct in neonates, infants, and small children with various forms of congenital heart disease.