Three-Dimensional Echocardiography for Evaluation of the Right Ventricle —Updates on Image Acquisition and Analysis

AbstractPurpose of ReviewReview three-dimensional echocardiographic (3DE) acquisition and analysis of the right ventricular (RV) chamber, the recommended technique by the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines.Recent Findings3DE acquisition and analysis of RV size and function is available in the majority of clinical echocardiographic laboratories. Recent publications showed this approach provides accurate information despite the challenging chamber anatomy and physiology, when compared to magnetic resonance imaging as reference. 3DE assessment directly measures RV volumes without geometric assumptions. Accordingly, 3DE analysis was found more accurate and reproducible than conventional 2DE methodology, which measures only surrogate parameters of RV function.SummaryRV 3DE assessment is ready for routine clinical use and has direct implications for patient management. 3DE evaluation has the potential to expand the analysis not only to traditionally parameters of size and function, but to new indices including shape, which may become a new useful diagnostic and prognostic information.
Source: Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports - Category: Radiology Source Type: research