A comparison of transcranial Doppler, transthoracic echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of patent foramen ovale

Author(s):  
Zi-Ming Yan ◽  
Ying-Qi Xing ◽  
Xiu-Juan Wu ◽  
Kang-ding Liu
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Xiaoxue Yang ◽  
Hua Wang ◽  
Yajuan Wei ◽  
Nina Zhai ◽  
Baomin Liu ◽  
...  

Objectives. To access the distinct values of contrast transcranial Doppler (cTCD), contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE), and contrast transesophageal echocardiography (cTEE) in the diagnosis of right-to-left shunt (RLS) due to patent foramen ovale (PFO) and to define the most practical strategy for the diagnosis of PFO. Methods. 102 patients with a high clinical suspicion for PFO had simultaneous cTCD, cTTE, and cTEE performed. The agitated saline mixed with blood was used to detect right-to-left shunt (RLS). Results. In all 102 patients, the shunt was detected at rest by cTCD in 60.78% of cases, by cTTE in 42.16%, and by cTEE in 47.06%. The positive results of all 3 techniques with Valsalva maneuver (VM) were significantly improved. cTCD showed higher pick-up rate than cTTE (98.04% vs. 89.22%; χ2=12.452, p<0.05) and the cTEE (98.04% vs. 96.08%; nonsignificant difference) in the diagnosis of PFO. Nevertheless, cTEE, compared with cTTE, underestimated shunting in 44% of patients. The diameter of both PFO entrance and exit was significantly greater in patients with a severe shunt compared with a mild shunt (2.8±1.0 mm vs. 2.0±0.7 mm, t=3.135, p<0.05; 2.2±0.7 mm vs. 1.6±0.4 mm, t=−2.582, p<0.05). There was a nonsignificant difference in tunnel length between patients with mild shunting and severe shunting(9.3±2.7 mm vs. 9.4±2.9 mm; t=1.358, p>0.05). Conclusions. The best method to diagnose PFO should be the combination of cTCD, cTTE, and cTEE. And cTCD should be applied as the first choice for screening RLS. Then, cTTE should be performed to quantify the severity of the shunt. Last but not least, cTEE should be performed to assess the morphologies of PFO when the closure is planned. The study provides for clinicians the most practical strategy for diagnosing PFO in the future. However, further trials with a large sample size are required to confirm this finding.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-133
Author(s):  
Madison B. Stafford ◽  
Jennifer E. Bagley ◽  
Dora DiGiacinto

The correlation between cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale is high in young patients. Currently, transesophageal echocardiography is the gold standard for detection. However, it is invasive and limits Valsalva maneuvers. This article reviews the diagnostic accuracy of the three modalities: transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and transcranial Doppler. The results suggest that transcranial Doppler sonography is an accurate, easily accessible procedure for detecting patent foramen ovale and should be considered an excellent alternative to transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography is still necessary for patients who require treatment. The combination of transcranial Doppler and transesophageal echocardiography provides the highest level of information regarding the complete diagnosis of patent foramen ovales.


Angiology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Maillet ◽  
Antoine Pavero ◽  
Pierre Salaun ◽  
Alexis Pibourdin ◽  
Sophie Skopinski ◽  
...  

We compared transcranial Doppler (TCD) with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for the detection of right to left communication (RLC) in the heart. All patients explored from 2013 to 2016 in a vascular medicine unit to detect RLC by TCD were included. Right to left communication was detected by TCD monitoring for microembolic signals after intravenous injection of agitated 5% glucose and air. One hundred one patients were explored for RLC by TCD, 64 by TEE (not possible in 10, bubble injection in 51), and 93 by TTE because of unexplained stroke or arterial thrombosis (51 males, 50 females, age 51.0 ± 15.8 years) (bubble injection in 35). Fifty-three patients were positive after TCD (TEE: 4 negative, TTE: 7 negative). Of the negative patients after TCD, none was positive for TEE and 1 was positive for TTE with no evidence of patent foramen ovale. Transcranial Doppler was sensitive to detect RLC, even in patients with negative TTE or TTE. A negative TEE did not exclude RLC demonstrated by TCD. Transcranial Doppler might be proposed as first line to detect RLC.


Stroke ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Tsivgoulis ◽  
Aristeidis H Katsanos ◽  
Theodora Psaltopoulou ◽  
Theodoros Sergentanis ◽  
Alexandra Frogoudaki ◽  
...  

Background & Purpose: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) can be detected in up to 43% of patients with cryptogenic cerebral ischemia undergoing investigation with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The diagnostic value of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the detection of PFO in patients with cryptogenic cerebral ischemia has not been compared with that of transcranial Doppler (TCD) using a comprehensive meta-analytical approach. Methods: We performed a systematic literature review according to PRISMA guidelines to identify all prospective observational studies of patients with cryptogenic cerebral ischemia that provided both sensitivity and specificity measures of TTE, TCD or both compared to the gold standard of TEE. Results: Our literature search identified 35 eligible studies including 3067 patients. The summary sensitivity and specificity for TCD was 96.1% (95% confidence interval: 93.0%-97.8%) and 92.4% (95%CI: 85.5%-96.1%), whereas the respective measures for TTE were 45.1% (95%CI: 30.8-60.3%) and 99.6% (95%CI: 96.5-99.9%). The summary diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for TCD (DOR=297.97, 95%CI: 131.18-676.83) and TTE (DOR=193.44, 95%CI: 30.38-1231.67) did not significantly differ (z-value=0.418, p=0.676). TTE was superior in terms of higher positive likelihood ratio values (LR+= 106.61, 95%CI: 15.09-753.30 for TTE vs. LR+=12.62, 95%CI: 6.52-24.43 for TCD; p=0.043), while TCD yielded lower negative positive likelihood values (LR- = 0.04, 95%CI: 0.02-0.08) compared to TTE (LR- =0.55, 95%CI: 0.42-0.72; p<0.001). Finally, the area under the summary receiver operating curve was significantly greater (p<0.001) in TCD (AUC=0.98, 95%CI: 0.97-0.99; Figure A) compared to TTE studies (AUC=0.86, 95%CI: 0.82-0.89; Figure B). Conclusions: TCD is more sensitive but less specific compared to TTE for the detection of PFO in patients with cryptogenic cerebral ischemia. The overall diagnostic yield of TCD appears to outweigh that of TTE.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoichi Takaya ◽  
Rie Nakayama ◽  
Teiji Akagi ◽  
Fumi Yokohama ◽  
Takashi Miki ◽  
...  

Abstract Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an effective therapy for preventing cryptogenic stroke (CS). The identification of high-risk PFO, which is more likely to be linked to CS, is essential. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of contrast transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for evaluating large right-to-left (RL) shunt. We enrolled 119 patients with or without CS who were confirmed to have PFO. The severity of RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was classified as follows: small (<10 microbubbles), moderate (10–20 microbubbles), and large (>20 microbubbles). With contrast TTE, large RL shunt was observed in 94 (79%) of 119 patients, including 66 of 74 with CS and 28 of 45 without CS. With contrast TEE, large RL shunt was observed in 33 (28%) patients, including 26 with CS and 7 without CS. Contrast TTE showed large RL shunt more frequently than contrast TEE (p < 0.01). Large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE had a sensitivity of 89% and an accuracy of 70% for the association with CS, whereas large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TEE had a sensitivity of 35% and an accuracy of 56%. Accuracy was significantly greater in contrast TTE than in contrast TEE (p = 0.02). In conclusion, contrast TTE identified large RL shunt more frequently. Large RL shunt evaluated by contrast TTE provided greater accuracy for the association with CS. Our findings suggest that contrast TTE is valuable for evaluating large RL shunt as high-risk PFO.


2010 ◽  
Vol 63 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 445-449
Author(s):  
Zeljko Zivanovic ◽  
Svetlana Ruzicka-Kaloci ◽  
Aleksandar Jesic ◽  
Biljana Radovanovic ◽  
Aleksandra Lucic-Prokin ◽  
...  

A patent foramen ovale has been reported to be more frequently detected in cryptogenic stroke, with paradoxical embolism as the major pathogenetic mechanism. The standard procedure for the detection of a patent foramen ovale is transesophageal echo?cardiography. Transcranial Doppler sonography with bubble test is almost as reliable as transesophageal echocardiography. Seventeen patients with acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attacks hospitalized at the Department of Neurology in Novi Sad underwent examinations to detect a patent foramen ovale, which was found in 55.6% of patients with cryptogenic stroke. The average age of these patients was 30.6 years. Transcranial Doppler sonography showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity for the predicti?on of right-to-left shunts proven by transesophageal contrast echocardiography. Both positive and negative predictive values in our group of patients were 1. Transcranial Doppler with bubble test is a reliable method for the detection of a patent foramen ovale, with a high level of sensitivity and specificity which is comparable with transesophageal echocardiography. Moreover, it is cheaper and more comfortable than transesophageal echocardiography, and should be used routinely in neurological practice.


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