The November issue of JASE, now online, includes the article, “Diagnosis of Isolated Cleft Mitral Valve Using Three-Dimensional Echocardiography,” from Akhil Narang, MD, Karima Addetia, MD, Lynn Weinert, RDMS, Megan Yamat, RDCS, Atman P. Shah, MD, John E. Blair, MD, Victor Mor-Avi, PhD, and Robert M. Lang, MD, from the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, US. When asked about the paper, lead author Dr. Narang commented, “This paper highlights the role of 3D echocardiography (3DE) in the evaluation of patients with valvular heart disease. While it was previously believed that significant mitral regurgitation (MR) due to isolated cleft mitral valve was very rare, this study utilized 3DE to demonstrate a considerably higher prevalence of isolated cleft mitral valve responsible for MR than what has been reported in 2D studies. In general, patients with unexplained MR should almost always be considered for 3DE to help determine the etiology.” Also in this issue are clinical investigations on valvular heart disease, diastolic function, risk assessment for heart failure by echocardiography, left atrial strain, fusion imaging in children, and aortic arch anomalies shown with fetal echocardiography, along with a preclinical investigation of molecular imaging with contrast ultrasound (UEA). Sherif F. Nagueh, MD, FASE, provides an editorial entitled, “Classification of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction and Heart Failure Diagnosis and Prognosis.” The Society blue pages feature Dr. Jonathan Lindner’s President’s Message, “When Quantity and Quality Don’t Mix,” which includes the new ASE Statement on Performance of Adult Comprehensive TEE.
November 8, 2018 By