February 2019

Since its introduction nearly four decades ago, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has witnessed a remarkable evolution. The important strides made in improving TEE technology – including development of multiplane phased array transducers, matrix array transducers for threedimensional (3D) imaging, and extensive improvements in echocardiographic imaging platform technology – have catalyzed the establishment of TEE as a critically important cardiovascular imaging modality. The esophageal position of the ultrasonic transducer provides superior cardiac imaging and allows monitoring of the heart before, during, and after cardiac or non-cardiac procedures without interruption.