[Three-dimensional echocardiography: technique, clinical applications, and perspectives].

OBJECTIVE: Three-dimensional echocardiography represents a new era in the contemporary cardiology, because depicts the cardiac structures in their realistic forms. This information can not be obtained using a two-dimensional perspective. Although two-dimensional (2D) and M-mode echocardiography has greatly enhanced the ability to visualize the functioning heart for more than 30 years, 3D interpretative mental skills are necessary to compile the 2D slices of the complex 3D anatomy, particularly in congenital heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: At present, its additional morphological and functional information in surgical decision-making and the increasing number of clinical questions than can be answered justify the clinical use of this technique. In the future it will the study of "virtual" pathologic anatomy.