Description

Maintaining the position described for the left ventricle, angle the probe towards the left shoulder (thereby moving the beam away from the left shoulder) to image the tricuspid valve and the right ventricle. To understand the probe manipulation necessary to obtain the right sided heart structures, one must realize that the right ventricle and atrium wrap around the left ventricular structures. This may become more evident when examining the short axis view of the heart next. Colour Doppler assessment of the TV is necessary to assess for regurgitation. In this assessment trace tricuspid valve incompetence is noted (depicted by the blue jet through the tricuspid valve in systole). This may be a normal finding in the early newborn period.