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The posterior thoracic approach in echocardiography
Author(s) -
Parameswaran R.,
Carr Vincent F.,
Rao Adiraju V. R.,
Goldberg Harry
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/jcu.1870070609
Subject(s) - medicine , pericardial effusion , ventricle , pericardium , aortic root , left atrium , cardiology , posterior wall , radiology , aorta , atrial fibrillation
Echocardiograms were recorded using a left posterior thoracic approach in 17 patients with left pleural effusion. Comparison of these records with those obtained using the conventional technique in the same patients revealed that the left posterior thoracic approach yielded records of adequate quality in all patients. The mitral valve, the left ventricle, and the posterior pericardium were well defined. In 10 patients in whom pericardial effusion was also present, the posterior approach facilitated clear separation of the pleural and pericardial effusions. A major limitation of the posterior technique appears to be inability to record the aortic root, the aortic valve, and the left atrium.