Digital echocardiography: its role in modern medical practice

Chest. 2001 Jan;119(1):271-6. doi: 10.1378/chest.119.1.271.

Abstract

Digital echocardiography has evolved rapidly during the last decade, and the all-digital echocardiographic laboratory has just reached the threshold of reality. This review article explains what this transition means for the modern medical practice and concisely presents what a digital echocardiogram is, the technical aspects of digital image acquisition and processing, and the advantages and limitations of digital echocardiography vs analog echocardiography. This review should serve as a useful source of information for the general cardiologist not working closely with digital echocardiography, as well as a resource for the noncardiologist.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Echocardiography / instrumentation*
  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Radiology Information Systems / instrumentation*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity