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Evolution of echocardiography in neonatal diagnosis
Author(s) -
Stevenson JG
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1995.tb13839.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hypoplastic left heart syndrome , intracardiac injection , great arteries , radiology , heart disease , great vessels , cardiology , blood flow
In the late 196, Edler and Lundström introduced “ultra sound cardio graphy” for the evaluation of congenital heart disease. Initial evaluations using A‐ and M‐mode echocardiography produced non‐invasive diagnosis of many defects, including specific complex malformations such as hypoplastic left heart, Ebstein's malformation, endocardial cushion defect and transposition, all with single crystal techniques. Normal values for dimensions related to patient size and indices of function developed at that time remain as components of contemporary examinations. Two‐dimensional imaging technology has evolved from 20 channels on Bom's linear array to 128‐channel systems currently providing detailed imaging of structures as small as neonatal coronary arteries. The contribution of Doppler techniques for qualitative evaluation of blood flow characteristics has been greatly augmented by both the quantitative Doppler methods for accurate assessment of pressure gradients and pulmonary pressure, and by the development of color Doppler display of intracardiac and intravascular flow. These contributions have come from centers worldwide, with many initial and ongoing contributions from Lund. The evolution of instrumentation, and of application, now provides neonatal echocardio‐graphic delineation of anatomic detail, function and hemodynamics of sufficient clarity and accuracy to replace the need for invasive study, or alternative technologies, in most cases.