A review: Newer, noninvasive cardiac diagnostic methods

W. F. Friedman, D. J. Sahn, M. J. Hirschklau

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This review article focuses on the application of two noninvasive techniques that have been increasingly more useful in the diagnosis and management of infants and children with heart disease. In a general sense, noninvasive diagnostic techniques provide two types of information; first, one seeks anatomic information in order to more clearly describe the architectural details of the heart and circulation and, second, one hopes to derive data allowing analysis of functional characteristics of the circulation. The ability to obtain important structure function correlations by the use of both scintillation scanning and cardiac ultrasound forms the basis for their widespread applicability in noninvasive diagnosis. We describe selected aspects of current applications of scintillation scanning of the lungs and heart and of echocardiography and will attempt to indicate new and interesting directions that may be anticipated by continuing developments in these fields. We await with interest, additions to the armamentarium of the diagnostician that may be expected in the future from electrocardiographic gated, computerized axial tomograms of the heart and from flow velocity data provided by range gated pulsed Doppler technology. It should be understood that noninvasive methods infrequently offer a substitute for invasive hemodynamic and angiographic studies performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Rather, the former most often provide valuable ancillary data that assist the clinican appreciably in decisions concerning patient management.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)190-197
Number of pages8
JournalPediatric Research
Volume11
Issue number3 (I)
DOIs
StatePublished - 1977
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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