The technique of transesophageal echocardiography. How to procure detailed views of an array of cardiac structures.

Use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is growing in ambulatory, intensive care, and intraoperative settings. Forward flexion or retroflexion of the TEE probe tip at different levels in the esophagus reveals a variety of intracardiac structures; in the basal short-axis view, for example, the aortic valve can be seen, as can the left atrial appendage lateral to the aorta and pulmonary artery. In the four-chamber view, the mitral and tricuspid valves and interatrial septum can be viewed, and the morphology of the mitral valve leaflets and mitral annulus can be assessed. Cross-sectional views of both ventricles can be obtained in the transgastric short-axis view. In addition, the entire thoracic aorta, as well as the proximal ascending and transverse arch, can be visualized with TEE.