Intracardiac Echocardiography

Treating patients in Lafayette, Indiana, Dr. Hartmuth Bittner applies his knowledge as a thoracic surgeon with Cardiac Surgery Associates (CSA). One of 36 physicians serving its 24 facilities, Dr. Hartmuth Bittner oversees patients’ diagnostic tests such as intracardiac echocardiography (ICE).

ICE is a procedure utilizing ultrasound technology. Catheters with ultrasound sensors attached are threaded into the heart to observe sections of interest, creating three-dimensional or even color images. They can identify cardiovascular issues previously only found through open heart surgery, and unlike older imaging technologies, using ICE does not require general anesthesia.

Electrophysiologists usually use the Ice apparatus to observe the left side of the heart, by inserting it through the right atrium or ventricle’s wall. The left atrium and ventricle and pulmonary veins are more difficult to observe with other instruments, but the ICE catheter’s size allows physicians to observe this region more efficiently.