Anatomic Basis of Echocardiographic Diagnosis

The aim of this book is to provide a systematic approach to echocardiographic diagnosis based upon a comprehensive understanding of cardiac anatomy. We shall provide abundant anatomic correlates of echocardiographic findings throughout the book. However, this will be more than just an echocardiographic atlas illustrating normal and pathologic conditions, as we also aim to provide a systematic approach to echocardiographic diagnosis by integrating an in-depth understanding of cardiac anatomy with a logical analysis of physiologic information provided by the present day echocardiographic study. We hope that this book will help the reader to develop an approach to echocardiographic diagnosis that is not based on pattern recognition, but will be a result of a comprehensive understanding of cardiac anatomy and function.

There are many books on echocardiography. To our knowledge none approaches diagnosis based upon an extensive use of echocardiographic anatomic correlation that we propose. The closest format to what we plan to use is "Two Dimensional Echocardiographic Atlas" by Seward, Tajik, Edwards, and Hagler published in 1987. This book is in fact an atlas showing echocardiographic and anatomic correlation in exclusively congenital heart disease. As far as we know, the same authors did not put out a similar atlas on other forms of heart disease. The 2 dimensional images in this book are now dated and we propose to use significantly better echocardiographic images. Although there will be ample echocardiographic anatomic correlation in our proposed book, we intend to provide more than just an atlas. We shall provide a systematic approach to echocardiographic diagnosis. Each chapter will include differential diagnosis and an approach to integrate the echocardiographic findings, both functional and anatomic, in arriving at the diagnosis.

The book will be divided into three sections. Each chapter will cover both normal and pathological findings on echocardiography with anatomic correlation. The first section will address the normal findings which can be appreciated by current day echocardiography. The impact of aging on cardiac structure and function will also be covered in this section. In the second section, specific cardiac diseases will be discussed. The differentiating features between normal and pathologic conditions will be discussed. The last section will address specific clinical settings where echocardiography is pivotal for diagnosis and patient management.