Echocardiography in coronary artery disease.

The role of echocardiography in different facets of coronary artery disease continues to evolve. Several important publications appeared in the last 12 to 18 months that serve to demonstrate its potential applications. The present review focuses on clinical studies that have appeared in the English language literature. The methods used in these studies include, for the most part, two-dimensional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, exercise and pharmacologic stress echocardiography, and contrast echocardiography. The emerging technology of intravascular echocardiography is not included because its use is mostly investigational and it is not routinely carried out in most laboratories. The clinical applications reviewed include diagnostic assessment of the mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction, the diagnosis of ischemia, prediction of single- versus multivessel coronary artery disease, evaluation of proximal coronary arteries, and assessment of myocardial viability, risk area and flow reserve.