Application of transesophageal echocardiography to aortic embolic stroke

s To determine the relative value of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and tr ansthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in exploring the potential embolic source (PE S) in heart and aortic arch and to study the clinical significance of aortic arc h athersclerosis (AAA) Methods Forty nine patients with cerebral embolism were included in this study TEE an d TTE were used to evaluate the potential source of emboli in aortic arch, heart and duplex in the carotid artery An atherosclerotic lesion of the aortic arch was defined as normal, mild plaque, moderate plaque, and protruding plaque or m obile plaque Results Of the 49 patients, 31(63%) patients showed evidence of AAA: 7 (14 1%) patients were mild, 9 (18 4%) were moderate and 15 (30 6%) were severe In those 15 p atients, 11 had neither severe ICAA nor heart disease Thirty three patients h ad internal carotid arterial atherosclerosis (ICAA) The potential sources of e mbolization of heart and aortic arch is 48 98% by TEE, but only 18 4% by TTE; 9 patients had heart disease Age and ICAA were significantly correlated with A AA Conclusion At present, TEE is a better method for exploring atherosclerotic lesions in the thoracic aorta AAA is an important potential source of cerebral embolic stroke