A TEE, too hard to swallow?

Transesophageal echocardiography or TEE is widely established as an important diagnostic tool in the etiologic workup of patients with ischemic stroke. In Austria for example, availability of TEE during weekdays is a mandatory criterion for stroke units. TEE is used for the etiologic workup of patients with presumed cardioembolic stroke. It is particularly useful for the detection of patent foramen ovale, PFO, where it is the diagnostic gold standard. In addition, thrombi in the left atrium, the left atrial appendage or in the aortic arch can be better visualized with it than with conventional transthoracic echocardiography.