ASE Guideline: Recommendations for the Use of Echo in the Evaluation of Rheumatic Heart Disease

Dr. Natesa G. Pandian and Dr. Jin K. Kim review the new ASE Guideline entitled: Recommendations for the Use of Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Rheumatic Heart Disease. This document is the product of an ASE task force composed of representatives from pediatric cardiology, pediatric critical care medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, pediatric anesthesiology, and others, assembled to provide expert guidance.
This diverse group aimed to identify common considerations across disciplines to guide evolution of indications, and to identify common requirements and infrastructure necessary for optimal performance, training, and quality assurance in the practice of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound in children.
The recommendations presented are intended to facilitate collaboration among subspecialties and with pediatric echocardiography laboratories by identifying key considerations regarding (1) indications, (2) imaging recommendations, (3) training and competency assessment, and (4) quality assurance.