Diagnostic value of real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography for preoperative assessment of sinus venosus atrial septal defect

摘要

Background Sinus venosus atrial septal defect(SVASD) is a rare atrial septal defect. The right-sided pulmonary veins may drain into the right atrium directly or via vena cava. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography(2D-TTE) is certainly the initial choice of evaluation of SVASD but is unable to show its spatial relation to the surrounding structures and the configuration of the veins accurately. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography(RT3D-TEE) for detecting SVASD and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection(PAPVC). Methods2D-TTE and RT3D-TEE were performed in 25 patients with the SVASD before surgical repair. Records of these patients were compared with surgical assessments. Results Twenty-three of the 25 patients with SVASD were detected by 2D-TTE. All the 23 patents were associated with PAPVC. Two of the 25 patients with SVASD were misdiagnosed as the secundum atrial septal defect by 2D-TTE. SVASD was demonstrated in all the 25 cases by RT3D-TEE, and 25 patents were associated with PAPVC. Conclusions RT3D-TEE is highly accurate, scientific method for displaying the location, size, shape of the defect and its spatial relation to the surrounding structures, and provides additional value to the surgeon and physicians for better understanding of spatial intracardiac morphology and making more accurate diagnosis and treatment.