The importance of dipyridamol echocardiography in the diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was described repeatedly. Nevertheless in roughly 20% patients the transthoracic echocardiographic examination at rest is inaccurate or cannot be carried out because the ultrasonic visibility is poor. In these patients transoesophageal dipyridamol echocardiography (TEE Dip) can provide a suitable alternative. This is why the authors evaluated 36 patients examined on account of IHD before and after administration of 0.80 mg/kg dipyridamol. The left ventricle was visualized in the transgastric short axis and from the apical view. Angiography revealed significant stenosis of the coronary arteries in 23 patients. In 18 patients after administration of dipyridamol new motility disorders developed, in 5 patients with motility of the left ventricular wall, impaired at rest, no new disorder of kinetics developed, i.e. the test was falsely negative. Thirteen patients had no signs of stenosis of the coronary arteries and three developed disorders of the motility of the left ventricular wall. The sensitivity of TEE Dip for the diagnosis of left ventricular ischaemia was 78% and the specificity 79%. Dipyridamol load transoesophageal echocardiography is a method suitable for clinical application with a still satisfactory sensitivity and very good specificity and it can be implemented without involving the risk of serious side-effects.

Keywords: Adult; Coronary Disease /diagnostic imaging/; Dipyridamole; Echocardiography, Transesophageal; Female; Humans; Male; Sensitivity and Specificity; Vasodilator Agents; Ventricular Function, Left