Serial two-dimensional echocardiography for detection of coarctation of the aorta in the postnatal period.

We describe the ultrasound appearance of postnatal development of an angiographically proven coarctation of the aorta in a full-term infant. The diagnosis of a discrete coarctation was subsequently supported on a repeat two-dimensional echocardiogram, after an initial clinical and two-dimensional study at 6 h of age that had revealed only minimal juxtaductal aortic deformity. We stress the importance of two-dimensional echocardiography as a reliable noninvasive method for detecting the change in aortic contour occurring with ductal closure in infants with predisposing aortic anatomy who will go on to develop coarctation of the aorta.