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Table 114-1

Clinical Uses of Echocardiography

2-D Echo

Cardiac chambers: size, hypertrophy, wall motion abnormalities

Valves: morphology and motion

Pericardium: effusion, tamponade

Aorta: aneurysm, dissection

Assess intracardiac masses

Doppler Echocardiography

Valvular stenosis and regurgitation

Intracardiac shunts

Diastolic filling/dysfunction

Approximate intracardiac pressures

Transesophageal Echocardiography

Superior to 2-D echo to identify:

Infective endocarditis

Cardiac source of embolism

Prosthetic valve dysfunction

Aortic dissection

Stress Echocardiography

Assess myocardial ischemia and viability