[Real time 3D echocardiography in congenital heart disease]

The introduction of the 3D mode in echocardiography has led to its use in everyday clinical practice. One hundred and fifty real time 3D echocardiographic examinations were performed in 20 foetus, 110 children and 20 adults with various congenital heart lesions (shunts, valvular lesions, aortic diseases). The 4x matricial probe enables the instantaneous acquisition of transthoracic volumes. Four modes of 3D imaging were used: real time, total volume, colour Doppler and biplane. Quantitative measurements were performed at an outlying station. The feasibility of the method in the foetus, the child and the adult was respectively 90%, 99% and 85%. Real time 3D echocardiography did not affect the diagnoses made by standard echocardiography. The 3D imaging gave a more accurate description of atrial septal defects and congenital valvular lesions. Biplane imaging was decisive in the quantitative approach to aortic dilatation of Marfan's syndrome and in segmental analysis of the foetal heart. 3D colour Doppler imaging has been disappointing but the possibilities of volumic quantification of blood flow are very promising. The present limitations of the method are the inadequate resolution in the small child and the absence of quantitative measurement on the echograph. The facility of utilisation of the matricial probe should lead to routine usage of 3D echocardiography as with 2D and the Doppler modes. Its value should be decisive in many congenital cardiac lesions requiring surgery or interventional catheterisation.