Which visualization capability is NOT offered by both transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)?

• A. Real-time intracardiac imaging
• B. 3D volumetric imaging
• C. Cross-sectional images in a 360-degree radial plane
• D. Visualization of anatomy

Answer: (C)

Both TEE and ICE provide real-time imaging inside the heart and are used to visualize cardiac anatomy during procedures. They can acquire 3D volumetric data, enabling rendered views of structures like valves and chambers, and they are routinely used to visualize anatomy in real time as the procedure progresses. What is not a native, real-time display mode for either modality is a cross-sectional image that spans a full 360-degree radial plane around the imaging axis. In practice, these Echo systems offer 2D planes or reconstructed 3D volumes, but a true circular, 360-degree radial cross-section is not a standard real-time display for either TEE or ICE.