Concerning on different types of transthoracic echocardiography

Abstract

The article discusses the evolution of transthoracic echocardiography due to the introduction into clinical practice of new technologies and methods of cardiac ultrasound and the development of pocket ultrasound devices. Often, new technologies did not replace the old ones but were used as an addition to them, which led to an increase in the duration and complexity of the examination. On the other hand, the use of portable ultrasound machines has made it possible to perform point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography, but it has been limited by solving a specific clinical problem. It became clear that different clinical situations require examinations that differ in complexity, labor intensity, levels of experience, and training of the doctors. Various types, features, and place in the clinical practice of transthoracic echocardiography are presented. The necessity of changing approaches to both accounting for effort estimates depending on the protocols and volumes of examinations and to planning the work of ultrasound and functional diagnostics departments is substantiated. Ways to solve problems that hinder the introduction of targeted, including focused, examinations into routine clinical practice are proposed.