Related Experiment Videos
Value of echocardiography in routine diagnostic use during the first year of life
Insights
M-mode echocardiography is a valuable first diagnostic step for infants with heart disease symptoms. This study found it provided correct or contributing diagnostic information in 82% of cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Congenital Heart Disease
Background:
- Infants with symptoms suggestive of heart disease require accurate and timely diagnosis.
- M-mode echocardiography is a non-invasive imaging technique used to assess cardiac structures and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of M-mode echocardiography as an initial diagnostic tool in infants with suspected heart disease.
Main Methods:
- 100 consecutive infants with heart disease symptoms underwent M-mode echocardiography.
- Echocardiographic diagnoses were compared against final diagnoses from catheterization, angiography, surgery, autopsy, or follow-up.
Main Results:
- M-mode echocardiography successfully visualized key intracardiac structures with high frequencies (e.g., mitral valve 100%, interventricular septum 94%).
- Echocardiography provided a correct diagnosis in 26% of patients and contributed significantly to the diagnosis in an additional 56% (22% important contribution, 34% some contribution).
- The investigation ruled out important diagnostic questions in 5% of patients.
Conclusions:
- M-mode echocardiography is a highly effective initial diagnostic step for infants presenting with symptoms of heart disease.
- Routine use of echocardiography provides substantial and valuable diagnostic information, aiding in the management of pediatric cardiac conditions.
Abstract:
100 consecutive patients with symptoms indicating heart disease during the 1st yr of life were studied with M-mode echocardiography. The echocardiographic diagnosis was compared with the final diagnosis based on heart catheterization, angiocardiography, operation, autopsy or follow-up of the patient. An echocardiographic examination could be made in all infants. The most important intracardiac structures when present could be identified with the following frequencies: mitral valve 100%, tricuspid valve 97%, aortic valve 95%, pulmonic valve 79%, interventricular septum 94%. The echocardiographic investigation gave a correct diagnosis in 26% of the patients, made an important contribution to the diagnosis in 22%, made some contribution to the diagnosis in 34%, ruled out important diagnostic questions in 5% and did not contribute to the diagnosis in 13% of the patients. This investigation has shown that echocardiography, when used as a first diagnostic step in a routine manner, can give much valuable diagnostic information.