Three-dimensional echocardiographic reconstruction: how does it stack up?

In conclusion, the data shows that in excellent quality studies such as those obtained in vitro, 3D echocardiography is as accurate in describing the volume of the left ventricle as is angiography. When excellent quality images are obtained, the endocardial wall motion, wall thickening and thinning are better described. This, in addition to echocardiography's promise of visualizing coronary perfusion regions using contrast agents and of detecting ultrasound tissue signatures of diseased myocardium give 3D echocardiography a very bright potential in research. Since ACCURACY is of utmost importance in defining the extent of wall motion defects for evaluation of therapeutic interventions, 3D reconstruction in the short term can only be beneficial in those patients who have excellent quality studies. In the evaluation of patients with valvular disease where changes in absolute volume may herald deterioration before change in ejection fraction, 3D echocardiography may find a more immediate role. In this situation, although there is still a degree of variability, predicted volumes are as good as those predicted from any other technique.