Q. What is Echocardiography?

Echocardiography in paediatric cardiology forms a different category from that of adult echo with acquired heart disease. Some of views which provide great deal of information in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are seldom used in adult echocardiography.

Some of salient features about paediatric cardiology are enlisted below:

1) Congenital heart disease deals with structural heart where identification of chamber or vessel is done by it's own morphological characteristics and not by its adjacent structures. Echocardiography in CHD consists of a systematic segmental approach towards identification of structures and subsequent generation of composite diagnosis based on these findings.

2) Usually upsida down images are used in subcostal and apical views so to resemble the mrmal position of heart.

3) Multiple windbws are used to evaluate every structure. It is possible because of excellent echo windows in this age group.

4) One has to usei different transducer for different patients and various views. Transducer of high frequency and greater resolution are routinely used. For example in neonate 7.5 and 5.5 rnHz transducer produces optimal images.

5) Sedation of child is part of the procedure and it is accomplished by using chloral hydrate (50-100mg/kg) or nasal midazolam.

6) Source of oxygen and suction facilities should be available in echo lab. Measurement of cuff blood pressure and saturation monitoring is mandatory for proper decision-making.