Thoracic Aorta Measurements Using Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography: Validation via Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

Abstract

Objectives

To examine the association and magnitude of agreement between intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) on aortic diameter measurements, to guide perioperative decision making for ascending aortic aneurysms.

Design

This prospective study included patients with an ascending aortic aneurysm undergoing surgical ascending aortic repair using a prosthetic graft between February 2018 and December 2019. Intraoperative TEE in 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) views were obtained and assessed relative to preoperative cine-CMR and contrast-enhanced 3D magnetic resonance angiography.

Setting

Weill Cornell Medicine, a single large academic medical center.

Participants

Thirty patients undergoing ascending aortic repair using a prosthetic graft (polyethylene terephthalate [Dacron]) without severe aortic valve disease (stenosis or regurgitation).

Interventions

CMR, TEE, and ascending aortic repair using prosthetic grafts.

Measurements and Main Results

TEE-derived measurements correlated significantly with CMR at all aortic segments: root (r = 0.94-0.97; p < 0.001 for all), ascending (r = 0.95-0.98; p < 0.001 for all), arch (r = 0.88; p < 0.001), and descending (r = 0.91; p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analyses showed small mean differences between 2D and 3D TEE versus CMR (range, 0.05-0.22 cm and 0.04-0.18 cm, respectively), with narrow limits of agreement at all segments, although TEE underestimated CMR-derived measurements.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the feasibility of intraoperative TEE to accurately measure aortic diameters in patients with ascending aortic aneurysms. The excellent correlations with CMR and small mean differences with narrow limits of agreement support intraoperative TEE to guide surgical decision making for possible aortic replacement.