Reliability and Accuracy of Echocardiography for Follow-up Studies after Intervention

By two-dimensional echocardiography limitations of M-mode echocardiography have been eliminated. As a direct and noninvasive method two-dimensional echocardiography seems to be an ideal method for analysis of left ventricular function in follow-up studies. In relation to other methods there are no limitations concerning x-ray exposure, physicians and patients safety. Before different studies can be discussed, reliability and accuracy of two-dimensional echocardiography have to be evaluated. Beat-to-beat, day-to-day, intra- and interobserver variability will be discussed, followed by description of follow-up studies after intervention.