Transesophageal echocardiography in stroke

Fifteen to twenty percent of all ischemic strokes are of cardioembolic origin. Since the introduction of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in 1976, its clinical application in the diagnosis of cardioembolic stroke has expanded greatly. Comprehensive literature has accumulated showing TEE as an invaluable tool for the diagnosis of cardioembolic stroke because it allows superior visualization of established embolic stroke risk factors (apical thrombus, endocarditis) as well as the identification of newer factors (patent foramen ovale, aortic arch plaques, etc.). In this article, we summarize the present status of TEE in the diagnostic workup of stroke.