UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: What's the Diagnosis? Basic ECHO Part 1

Posted: 11/4/2013 by Haney Mallemat, MD
Click here to contact Haney Mallemat, MD

Question

This week's visual pearl reviews the structures of the heart when being viewed in a parasternal long-axis view. What do the labels correspond to in the clip below (note: "E" and "F" are valves) and do you see any obvious abnormalities?

Answer

The parasternal long-axis is obtained by scanning to the left (patient's left) of the sternum through the 2nd-5th intercostal space. Click here for a tutorial on the technique.

A - Left Ventricle
B - Right Ventricular Outflow Tract (RVOT)
C - Left atrium
D - Ascending Aorta
E - Mitral Valve
F - Aortic Valve
G - Descending Aorta

Answer to Bonus Question: Dilation of the RVOT

Quick tip for evaluating the RVOT; use the left atrium as a size reference (assuming normal atrial size) for the RVOT
Normally, the RVOT and left atrium should be approximately equal in size

References

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