Innovations in transesophageal echocardiographic imaging

Over the last three decades, the continuing development of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has represented a major advance in our ability to visualize cardiovascular structures with ultrasound. TEE serves as a valuable complement to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) by allowing: images to be obtained with less attenuation from structures such as the lung, muscle, bone, and soft tissue; high resolution visualization of structures not well seen by TTE, such as left atrial appendage, descending thoracic aorta, and prosthetic heart valves; and assessment of hemodynamics and flow disorders in greater detail. This article provides a brief overview of current as well as emerging clinical applications of transesophageal echocardiography.