New Guideline Released for the Diagnosis of Heart Defects Using Echocardiograms

New guidelines for the assessment of Atrial Septal Defects (ASD) and Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) using echocardiography have been released by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).

The paper is published in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography (JASE) and provides details of ASD and PFO defects, which modalities can be used for evaluation, and suggested best-case imaging strategies.

PFO is the most common congenital heart defect, and affects nearly a quarter of adults. PFO is a small hole between the chambers of the heart that remains partially open into adulthood. PFO and other ASDs may not cause any symptoms in a person’s lifetime, but if too large, can cause problems, such as stroke, and may need to be repaired. Echocardiographic imaging is used for diagnosis, and treatment planning, and is often used during the intervention and treatment.

The paper, entitled “Guidelines for the Echocardiographic Assessment of Atrial Septal Defect and Patent Foramen Ovale” details different types ASD abnormalities, strategies, guidance, follow-up imaging, and echocardiography treatments such as Transesophageal Echo (TEE), Transthoracic Echo (TTE), Three-Dimensional Echo (3DE), Doppler Echo, Intracardiac Echo (ICE), and Transcranial Doppler (TCD).

The chairman of the guideline writing group, Frank E. Silvestry, MD, FASE, of the University of Pennsylvania (Penn; Philadelphia, PA, USA), said, “This collaboration between the ASE and SCAI represents a tremendous step forward in defining and standardizing the echocardiographic imaging of patients with atrial septal abnormalities. It represents a unique collaborative effort between adult and pediatric cardiologists, including both imagers and interventionalists, and will serve as a tremendous resource for all interested in this area.”

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