Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography with agitated saline injection to differentiate between atrial septal defects and echo drop-out artifacts.

The diagnosis of multiple atrial septal defects is less challenging with 3-D transesophageal echocardiography. However, the common occurrence of echo drop-out (acoustic shadow) artifacts with 3-D echocardiography can make the differentiation between a second defect and an artifact challenging. Agitated saline injection with direct visualization using 3-D echocardiography can help resolve this by allowing visualization of the bubbles crossing from true defects.