Q. What is Suprasternal Views in echocardiography?
To complete the echocardiography in the patients with CHD these views are essential. For optimal windows patient should lie supine with the neck extended by a pillow or a rolled-up shet placed underneath the shoulder. First view is obtained by keeping transducer at 3 O'clock position (marker towards left shonlder). By angulating the transducer about 45" posteriorly, aorta is seen in oblique section and entire length of right pulmonary artery is seen just below the aorta. SVC lies just right to the aorta innominate view seen at an anterior plane. The LSVC if present, can be seen in this view. Side of arch can also be decided by seing the direction of first branch and its bifurcation as well as by visualizing the descending aorta in relation to the tracheal rings. Absence of bifurcation should give rise suspicion about aberrant origin of subclvian artery. Suprasternal long axis view shows the aortic arch and proximal descending aorta. This view can be obtained by rotated the transducer 30" counter clockwise from the previous position. By tilting the transducer towards left LPA can be seen.