Two-dimensional echocardiographic discrimination of normal from abnormal great artery relationships.

A prospective study was performed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of precordial two-dimensional echocardiographic techniques in discriminating normal from abnormal great artery relationships. We studied 503 children using standard parasternal short-axis view and a modified technique called rotating high long-axis view (RHLAV). In RHLAV, there is rapid superimposition of the proximal courses of the two great arteries seen by rotation of the ultrasonic beam. Discrimination was based on the crossing great artery relationship seen with normally related great arteries (NRGA) and the parallel courses found in both transposition and malposition of the great arteries (TGA/MGA). Using the RHLAV, the great artery interrelationship was accurately determined in all 503 patients. Precordial two-dimensional echocardiography can accurately discriminate great artery relationships and is a useful addition to other two-dimensional echocardiographic techniques.