Echo in ventricular septal defect

Editors-in-Chief: Eli V. Gelfand, MD and Keri Shafer, MD (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA)

A ventricular septal defect (or VSD) is a defect in the ventricular septum (the wall dividing the left and right ventricles of the heart). The ventricular septum consists of a muscular (inferior) and membranous portion (superior). The membranous portion (which is close to the atrioventricular node) is most commonly affected.[1]

Congenital VSDs are collectively the most common congenital heart defect.[2]

• location and number of defects
• direction of shunting
• PA and RV pressures
• LV thickness, presence of hypertrophy/overload
• associated anomalies

Size of the defect determines on the plane in which it is visualized as the defect is usually not symmetric. MUST take maximum diameter.

• best seen on parasternal long, short or 5 chamber views

Yale University School of Medicine Congenital Heart Disease: Membranous VSD

• best seen on apical 4 chamber view

unusual VSD:

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• best seen on parasternal long/short views

Trabecular defects are best seen on parasternal long and apical 4 chamber views

Yale Congenital Heart Disease- VSD

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