[Echocardiographic study of different forms of pulmonary atresia]

Echocardiographic recognition of pulmonary atresia with either ventricular septal defect or intact ventricular septum is of great value in the differential diagnosis with other forms of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction or hypoplasia of the right ventricle. We studied nine patients with pulmonary atresia seven with ventricular septal defect and two with intact ventricular septum. It was not possible in either group of these patients to register systolic opening and diastolic closure movements of the pulmonary valve. In the group with ventricular septal defect, aortic straddling was present in all cases. In one patient it was possible to register the echoes of an imperforated pulmonary valve. In the remaining patients, the differential diagnosis with persistent truncus arteriosus was not possible. M-mode and Two-dimensional echocardiographic features of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum are specific of this malformation and can differentiate it from other forms of hypoplasia of the right ventricle.