Complementing Value of Two Dimensional Cardiac Ultrasonography In Diagnosis of Heart Lesions

Abstract

There are numerous ways of assessing the heart. In our environment the most common is plain radiography, which will show the heart shape, leading to interfered diagnosis. With ready availability of ultrasound in our environment, two-dimensional cardiac ultrasonography has great value in the assessing of the pericardium, heart muscle, heart chambers, and heart valves. This can be complemented with m-mode cardiac tracing; to confirm visual assessment, since twodimensional ultrasonography is highly dependent on expertise of the sinologist. There are other ways of assessing the heart, but most constitute an invasive or interventional procedure . They are as follows, cardiac catherization, angiocardiography and coronary heart angiography. The uses of MRI and CT scan in cardiac evaluation are still not within reach in this environment. They are known to be of very great benefit in cardiac evaluation . Ultrasound machines are portable, and easily manageable in our environment. The use of ultrasound is good asset in management of heart lesion in this region. Hence the need to present this case report.

West African Journal of Radiology Vol.7(1) 2000: 4-8