Chest, Vol 85, 244-247, Copyright © 1984 by American College of Chest Physicians

ARTICLES

The contribution of echocardiography to the community practice of cardiology. A prospective study

JT Hanlon, DT Combs, RI Lowe and B Bean

The utility of echocardiography in a clinical office practice was assessed by prospectively studying 93 patients. Each patient was examined by a cardiologist and a diagnosis and management plan was outlined. An M-mode and 2D echocardiogram was then obtained and interpreted by a second cardiologist without knowledge of the clinical findings. Patients were then categorized as follows: group 1, clinical and echo diagnosis agree, management unchanged (67 patients); group 2, clinical and echo diagnosis agree, management changed (two patients); group 3, clinical and echo diagnosis disagree, management unchanged (16 patients); and group 4, clinical and echo diagnosis disagree, management changed (eight patients). Echocardiography significantly altered management of 11 percent of patients, provided additional important information in 48 percent, and confirmed the clinical impression in 74 percent of patients. It was particularly helpful in determining left ventricular structure and function, valvular anatomy, and in the diagnosis of clinically unsuspected idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis.