What is the fourth dimension shown by the new four-dimensional cardiac ultrasound machine?
The fourth is the added dimension of time (a moving 3-D image). For which patients would this kind of ultrasound be helpful? In some instances the scientific evidence may be strong enough to endorse its use as a new standard in the clinical assessment of the heart. But as of today, its superiority is clear when evaluating heart motion and volume, as well as the degree of mitral valve narrowing. What is the test like for the patient? Painless, quick and easy; not any different from any other ultrasound test. Why is this better than conventional ultrasound machines? It allows for a more accurate assessment of the heart chambers, both their function and volume. It provides a realistic view of the valves with better evaluation for leaks or narrowing, and a good quantification of shunts (abnormal chamber communications). There is a special 4-D probe that may become one of the modalities of choice for perioperative planning of mitral valve surgery. All of the information allows guidance of t
