Transesophageal echocardiography: first-line imaging for aortic diseases

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Diagnostic Echocardiography

Background:

• The thoracic aorta is frequently evaluated using imaging techniques.
• Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a readily available, high-resolution imaging modality.
• TEE provides crucial Doppler flow information for cardiovascular assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the essential imaging features of acute and chronic aortic diseases on TEE.
• To discuss the application of TEE in diagnosing aortic dissection, aneurysm, and atherosclerosis.
• To outline the strengths, weaknesses, and clinical indications for TEE in aortic disease evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Review of essential TEE features for thoracic aortic pathology.
• Discussion of TEE's role in diagnosing specific aortic conditions.
• Analysis of TEE's advantages, limitations, and indications.

Main Results:

• TEE demonstrates characteristic features for acute and chronic aortic diseases.
• The modality is effective in visualizing aortic dissection, aneurysms, and atherosclerosis.
• Specific strengths and weaknesses of TEE for aortic assessment are identified.

Conclusions:

• Transesophageal echocardiography is a valuable tool for evaluating the thoracic aorta.
• TEE provides essential diagnostic information for various aortic pathologies.
• Understanding TEE's capabilities and limitations guides its appropriate clinical use.