A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) is an ultrasound of the heart, where the echocardiography transducer (or probe) is placed on the chest wall (or thorax) of the subject, and images are taken through the chest wall. Using standard ultrasound techniques, two-dimensional slices of the heart can be imaged. The latest ultrasound systems now employ 3D real-time imaging.

This is a non-invasive, highly accurate and quick assessment of the overall health of the heart. A cardiologist can quickly assess a patient's heart valves and degree of heart muscle contraction (an indicator of the ejection fraction). The TTE is a popular test which keeps improving with more and more advances in the field.

The TTE is commonly used to help diagnose endocarditis. Diagnostic findings by the Echocardiogram include definitive evidence of vegetation or thrombus on valves or other endocardiac structures, abscesses, or disruption of a prosthetic heart valve.

The TTE is highly accurate for identifying vegetations, but the accuracy can be reduced in up to 20% of adults because of obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or chest-wall deformities. Transesophageal echocardiography, if available, may be more accurate than TTE because it excludes the variables previously mentioned and allows closer visualization of common sites for vegetations and other abnormalities. Transesophageal echocardiography also affords better visualization of prosthetic heart valves.

See also

• Medical imaging
• Medical ultrasonography

Cardiology | Radiology | Medical imaging