Adult Echocardiography Practice Exam

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is often preferred over transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for several reasons, particularly when it comes to imaging quality and detail. The primary advantage of TEE is its ability to provide enhanced visualization of the heart's posterior structures, such as the left atrium, mitral valve, and aorta. This improved imaging capability is critical when assessing for potential cardiac sources of emboli, such as thrombi in the left atrial appendage, which can lead to systemic embolic events like stroke.

When evaluating patients for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, valve disease, or endocarditis, the detailed view that TEE offers allows for a more accurate assessment of these structures and potential abnormalities. This nuanced visualization is less achievable with TTE due to the limitations of acoustic windows and body habitus that could impede proper imaging from the chest wall.

Other options, such as assessing left ventricular wall motion or evaluating peripheral vascular disease, do not leverage the unique benefits of TEE. Additionally, TEE is actually more invasive than TTE, involving the introduction of a probe into the esophagus, which further underscores why the indication for TEE centers around the evaluation of posterior structures and the