Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) is a technique that uses a small ultrasound probe placed into a childs esophagus to closely evaluate the heart and blood vessels within the chest.

Echocardiography is a procedure used to assess the heart’s function and structures through the use of sound waves. A transducer (similar to a microphone) sends out ultrasonic sound waves at a frequency too high to be heard. When the transducer is placed on the chest at certain locations and angles, the ultrasonic sound waves move through the skin and other body tissues to the heart tissues, where the waves “echo” off of the heart structures. The transducer picks up the reflected waves and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the echoes into an image of the heart walls and valves.

Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) uses a probe with a transducer on the end that is guided through the throat and into the esophagus while your child is sedated. The TEE transducer works the same as the one used in a regular echocardiogram. A clearer image can be obtained, however, because the sound waves do not have to pass through skin, muscle or bone tissue.

Why is a transesophageal echocardiogram performed?

TEE is used to evaluate the internal heart structures and path of blood flow in congenital (present at birth) heart defects. TEE is often used during heart surgery to evaluate the effects of surgical intervention to the heart, such as repair of congenital heart defects. It also can be used in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory to assist with procedures such as a device closure of certain heart defects.

When echo is indicated, but other circumstances (i.e., pulmonary disease) that may interfere with the ability to obtain adequate images are present, a TEE may be more appropriate. Further, certain conditions of the heart, such as mitral valve disease, blood clots or masses inside the heart, dissection (tear) of the lining of the aorta (the artery which carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the body), and implanted prosthetic (artificial) heart valves may be better visualized and assessed with TEE than with regular echocardiograms.

Depending on the results of the TEE, additional tests or procedures may be scheduled to gather further diagnostic information.

Source: Children’s Hospital Boston