The first quarter of 2019 was a very productive one for the American Society of Echocardiography Guidelines and Standards Committee (chaired by our Advisory BOD member Dr. Steven Little). They delivered three outstanding new guidelines that provide valuable recommendations to the echocardiography community.
The January issue of JASE contains ”Guidelines for Performing a Comprehensive Transthoracic Echocardiographic Examination in Adults” , endorsed by 22 cardiology/echocardiography societies around the world, provides updated guidance for scanning maneuvers, image optimization and protocols for comprehensive and limited TTE. With an abundance of figures and illustrated tables, plus over 100 videos, this constitutes a valuable resource for students, new sonographers, and echocardiography labs. It was accompanied by two live webinars (in December 2018 and January 2019) that can be accessed in ASE University.
The February edition of JASE contains ”Guidelines for Performing a Comprehensive Transesophageal Echocardiographic Examination in Children and All Patients with Congenital Heart Disease” which provides a comprehensive protocol for TEE image acquisition in patients with CHD, with the inclusion of 3D echo, and imaging guidance pertaining to transcatheter structural interventions. It was accompanied by a live webinar scheduled for March 2019.
Finally, March saw the publication of ”Guidelines for the Evaluation of Valvular Regurgitation After Percutaneous Valve Repair or Replacement” which provides key recommendations in the assessment and quantification of valvular regurgitation in the era of expanding options for percutaneous valve interventions. The article is in press at the time of this publication.