Noninvasive assessment of cardiopulmonary function in critically ill infants and children

Echocardiography and Doppler echocardiography allow for the accurate noninvasive assessment of cardiac structure and function. Two-dimensional echocardiography accurately demonstrates both normal and abnormal intracardiac and great vessel anatomy and assists in differentiating cardiac from noncardiac causes of respiratory distress. M-mode echocardiography allows for documentation of cardiac chamber size and left ventricular function. Doppler echocardiography is used to measure cardiac output, assess AV and semilunar valve function, detect abnormal flow patterns within the heart and great vessels, and assist in the assessment of pulmonary artery pressures. This article discusses the uses of all these modalities as they apply to the critically ill infant and child.