M-mode contrast echocardiography in patients with univentricular heart.
M-mode echocardiographic peripheral venous contrast studies of 23 patients with complex forms of univentricular heart were compared with cineangiocardiographic findings obtained in traditional and axial projections. The morphology of the main ventricular chamber (left type 16, right 6, indeterminate 1), of the rudimentary chamber (16 anterior and four posterior), the type and modalities of atrioventricular connections (common AV valve 6, two AV valves 13, absent left connection 4), the connections and the interrelationships of the great arteries as well as the degree of obstruction of the outlet portions were analysed by both methods. M-mode echocardiography did not provide valuable information about atrioventricular valve morphology: in three cases discordant results were found. Contrast studies improved the diagnostic capabilities and allowed identification of double inlet connection in 10 out of 11 patients and of single inlet in four out of five patients respectively.