[A proposal for a standardized protocol for echocardiographic examinations of valvular defects, valve prostheses and atrial septal defects].

The authors summarize in standard protocols the spectrum of possible examinations made by means of a modern echocardiographic apparatus in valvular defects and prostheses and in septal atrial defects. They discuss some evaluations and their practical importance. Standardization contributes towards a comprehensive and more illustrative character and facilitates comparison of findings. A structured concept of the protocol is selected with the perspective of its deposition in a data base of an interactive external computer. The work should serve as a stimulus for discussion in other echocardiographic departments and elaboration of their own working procedure.