3-D envisioning by real time perpendicular bi-plane echocardiography (simultaneous multifrequency...

Simultaneous dual B-modes, the tomographic plane of which can be moved freely keeping the intersecting angle always perpendicular, was devised and based on simultaneous multifrequency ultrasonography (Miwa, et al, 1981). Dual probes, the ends of which are linked by two arms and three nodes with potentiometers are used to display the intersecting line on the both B-mode images by computation. Both images can be displayed together on one CRT, or separately on the different CRTs. This has proved to be a great help for understanding the 3-D structure of heart. Quantitative dimension and displacement speed measurement of 3-D structure of heart such as myocardium thickness, inner diameter of ventricle, and their changing speed, can be performed very exactly at the accurate three dimensional orientation to the heart. We have also recognized that measuring beam for M-mode must be guided to an exact orientation by this technology. Otherwise, unexpected error has been introduced very usually, if guided only by conventional single B-mode due to lack of information of three dimensional incident angle to the wall, valve,..