• U C Hoppe, B Dederichs, H J Deutsch, P Theissen, H Schicha, and U Sechtem.
• Klinik III für Innere Medizin, Universität Köln, Germany.
• Radiology. 1996 Jun 1;199(3):669-77.

PurposeTo compare the diagnostic value of transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with that of transthoracic echocardiography in the evaluation of congenital heart disease in adults and adolescents.Materials And MethodsCorresponding transesophageal echocardiographic and MR images obtained in 61 patients (aged 14-74 years; 28 female, 33 male) with congenital cardiac abnormalities were analyzed retrospectively. Results were compared with those of transthoracic echocardiography in all patients and were confirmed by using cardiac catheterization (n = 41) and/or surgery (n = 41).Resultsof the 344 abnormalities detected with at least one imaging technique, 259 were demonstrated with transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography depicted the atrioventricular junction and atrial structures the best. MR imaging was the only technique to fully depict 31 extracardiac abnormalities. In complex cardiac defects, the combination of all three imaging techniques was best.ConclusionTransesophageal echocardiography and MR imaging are beneficial complementary imaging techniques in adults or adolescents with congenital heart disease.

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