[Possibilities of 2-dimensional echocardiography in childhood. II. Possibilities for use].

Two-dimensional echocardiography has been shown to be equal, or even superior, to cardiac catheterization in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease. On the basis of clinical and non-invasive investigations alone many cardiac malformations can be diagnosed correctly and an operation carried out without previous catheterization. This paper reports our findings with cross-sectional echocardiography in common and rare cardiac malformations using standardized imaging planes and typical transducer locations.