DATA STORAGE, DOCUMENTATION, AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Data Storage and Documentation

Traditionally, echocardiograms are stored on videotape and written reports of the results are placed in the patient's medical record. The SCA has recommended a written report form for this purpose (http://www.scahq.org/sca3/teereport.shtml). Digital recording and storage of echocardiograms are growing more common, but because of the size of digital video files, some compression of the data is required. Preliminary studies indicate that compression need not result in loss of clinically important information, but definitive studies are lacking.^[113] Regardless of the recording modality used, representative TEE images from all studies must be readily available for comparison with previous or subsequent studies or with both.