Tricuspid and pulmonic valve echoes in tricuspid and pulmonary atresia.

An echocardiographic pattern of normal tricuspid valve motion in a patient with tricuspid atresia, and pulmonic valve motion in a patient with transposition of the great vessels and pulmonary atresia were documented. The recordings of the valve motion resulted in an initial erroneous diagnosis. Although M-mode echocardiography is very useful for the initial diagnostic evaluation of critically ill newborn infants with complex congenital heart diseases, on occasion recording of valvular echoes may result in conflicting clinical and pathologic correlation.