Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography Systems

Introduction

Technologic advances continue to propel cardiac visualization forward. Advances in miniaturization, computer processing, and algorithms continue to have significant momentum. New acquisition technologies, coupled with the ability to process, display, and quantify enormous amounts of data, have pushed echocardiography forward into becoming a modality that will change cardiac intervention as well. Today, three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) has generated near-optical cardiac images. An understanding of cardiac mechanical motion in all of its spatial and temporal dimensions is providing valuable general physiologic insight for echocardiography as well as precise diagnoses for patients.

It is expedient to address the technologic advances in terms of the operating sequence in an ultrasound system for echocardiography. This allows a framework consisting of transduction, beamforming, display, and quantification to be used. Echocardiographic instrumentation is unparalleled with respect to its portability, cost, lack of ionizing radiation, and ubiquitous presence.