Development of Biplane Transespohageal Dopper Echocardiography as a New Cardiovascular Diagnostic Method

彩色多普勒经食道超声心动图(TEE)是心脏病学和心脏外科领域不可或缺的重要成像方法。然而，在目前的技术状态中，TEE技术有一个主要的限制：利用单换能器TEE探头只能获得横向视图。1989年(第一年)，为了进一步完善TEE技术，我们新研制了一种双平面探头并进行了临床试验。据我们所知，我们是第一个将新的双平面探头用于临床的公司。双平面探头直径13.5 mm，横向和纵向探头并排安装在同一经食管轴上。既可以进行横向扫描，也可以进行纵向扫描，双平面图像可以并排再现，同时与心电同步。该探头在260例成人心血管外科手术中和术后均获得成功应用。双平面TEE的特异性诊断价值为ob…。多见于二尖瓣关闭不全和主动脉夹层，1990年(第2年)共应用双平面探头450例，无并发症。双平面TEE有助于三维了解心血管结构和血流，并通过纵向扫描在食道上提供新的声学窗口。然而，双平面探头存在两个主要的局限性：(1)两个正交换能器是分开的；(2)双平面成像不是实时的，而是可重现的。1991年(第3年)，我们开发了一种结合使用矩阵双平面传感器和实时双平面成像软件的系统。该矩阵换能器由两个垂直相控阵组成，用于横向和纵向扫描。在我们32例患者的临床经验中，实时矩阵双平面成像系统已经显示出比标准双平面技术的各种优势。此外，我们还成功地设计了一种儿科矩阵探头。这些新设备预示着未来TEE技术的新趋势。双平面TEE已被确定为一种有价值的诊断方法之一，并将成为心脏、心血管外科和麻醉学领域的标准临床检查。较少

Color Doppler transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an imaging method of indispensable importance in the fields of cardiology and cardiac surgery. However, in the present state of the art there is a major limitation in TEE technology : only a transverse view can be obtained with the single-transducer TEE probe. In 1989 (the first year), in order to further improve the TEE technique we newly developed and tested clinically a biplane probe. To the best of our knowledge we are the first where a new biplane probe was used clinically. The biplane probe is 13.5 mm in diameter, and transverse and longitudinal transducers are mounted side by side on the same transesophageal shaft. Either transverse or longitudinal scan can be obtained and biplane images can be reproduced side by side screen simultaneously synchronizing to ECG. The probe was successfully used both intra-and postoperatively in 260 adult cardiovascular surgical patients. The specific diagnostic value of the biplane TEE was ob … More tained firstly in mitral regurgitation and aortic dissection.In 1990 (the 2nd year), the biplane probe was used totally in 450 patients without any complication. Biplane TEE facilitated a three-dimensional understanding of cardiovascular structure and blood flow and provided new acoustic windows on the esophagus through longitudinal scanning. However, there were two major limitations in the biplane probe : (1) the two orthogonal transducers were separated and (2) biplane imaging was not real time but reproduced.In 1991 (the 3rd year), to resolve these problems, we developed a new system that combines the use of matrix biplane transducer and real-time biplane imaging software. The matrix transducer is composed of two perpendicular phased arrays for transverse and longitudinal scans. In our clinical experience in 32 patients, the real-time matrix biplane imaging system has shown various advantages over the standard biplane technique. Additionally, we designed also successfully a pediatric matrix probe. These new devices suggest a new trend in TEE technology of the future. The biplane TEE has been established as one of valuable diagnostic methods and will be a standard clinical examination in the fields of cardiolog, cardiovascular surgery, and anesthesiology. Less