We evaluated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) by multiple echocardiographic techniques in 93 consecutive patients who underwent standard two-dimensional (2D) and live three-dimensional (3D) transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). TR vena contracta (VC) area was obtained by 3D TTE by systematic and sequential cropping of the acquired 3D TTE dataset. Assessment of VC area by 3D TTE was compared to 2D TTE measurements of the ratio of TR regurgitant jet area to right atrial area (RJA/RAA), RJA alone, VC width, and calculated VC area. VC area from 3D TTE closely correlated with RJA/RAA and RJA alone as determined from 2D TTE measurements. Live 3D TTE color Doppler measurements of VC area can be used for quantitative assessment of TR and offer incremental value for quantification of particularly severe regurgitant lesions.

We report a case of a middle‐aged woman in whom a transesophageal echocardiogram showed a mass‐like lesion posteriorly near the descending thoracic aorta. We were able to make a definitive diagnosis of this mass as a hiatal hernia because of a thick inner lining measuring 6–9 mm in thickness similar to the stomach mucosa, and the presence of a few microbubbles within the mass. In addition, the microbubbles increased considerably after 10 cc of agitated normal saline flush via a nasogastric tube.

We present eight adult patients with noncompaction (four with isolated left ventricular noncompaction and four with combined left and right ventricular noncompaction) in whom live three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D TTE) demonstrated multiple, prominent myocardial trabeculations, deep intertrabecular recesses communicating with the ventricular cavity, and a typical honeycombing appearance. In the four patients with combined right and left ventricular noncompaction, very extensive trabeculations in the right ventricle were identified, much more than in normal or hypertrophied right ventricles. Five of the eight patients were not definitively identified to have noncompaction on two‐dimensional (2D) TTE, but the diagnosis was made with 3D TTE. These cases demonstrate the potential usefulness of 3D TTE as a supplement to 2D TTE in the assessment of noncompaction.

In the present study, we describe the usefulness of the recently developed technique of live three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in the assessment of normal cardiac structures and adjacent vessels using the right parasternal and supraclavicular approaches. Examples of some abnormalities diagnosed from these approaches are also illustrated.

We report the usefulness of right parasternal and supraclavicular live three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in the delineation and follow‐up of a thrombus involving a catheter placed in superior vena cava for dialysis in an adult patient with chronic renal disease.

We describe an adult patient in whom live three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography combined with intravenous use of an echo contrast agent was useful in making a definitive diagnosis of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in characterizing the nature and full extent of the hypertrophy.

We present an adult patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy status post septal myectomy in whom live three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D TTE) demonstrated two septal perforator coronary arteries opening directly into the left‐ventricular outflow tract. Only one of these fistulas could be demonstrated by two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D TTE). Our case demonstrates the potential usefulness of 3D TTE as a supplement to 2D TTE in the assessment of septal coronary artery–left ventricle fistulas.

This preliminary study demonstrates the superiority of live three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D TTE) over two‐dimensional (2D) TTE in the assessment of left atrial (LA) tumors in four patients studied by us (three myxomas, one hemangioma, all subsequently pathologically proven). Because of the unique ability of live 3D TTE to systematically section and view the contents of an intracardiac mass, LA myxomas in the three patients studied could be more confidently diagnosed by noting isolated echolucent areas consistent with hemorrhage/necrosis in the tumor mass. On the other hand, a definite echolucent area was found by 2D TTE in only two of the three patients with myxoma. In the fourth patient with a hemangioma, live 3D TTE showed much more extensive and closely packed echolucencies with little solid tissue as compared to a myxoma consistent with a highly vascularized tumor. In contrast, 2D TTE demonstrated only two isolated echolucencies in the tumor suggesting an erroneous diagnosis of myxoma.