Book excerpt: Selected as one of "The 2005 Great Books in Cardiology" by The American Journal of Cardiology®, The Ultimate Echo Guide provides a complete echocardiography consultation in an easy, fast, and succinct manner. Geared toward the trainee and clinician, the bulleted format provides complete information in a concise reader-friendly text. Echocardiographic evaluation of the most common cardiovascular diseases is covered in a succinct, logical manner, from an introduction with definitions, indications for various echo techniques, through interpretation. Discussion of each echo technique—M-mode, 2-D, Doppler TTE, and TEE—includes best imaging planes, diagnostic methods, diagnostic formulas, key diagnostic features, data on accuracy and prognosis, and alerts to potential pitfalls. Highlights of this Second Edition include: • New chapter on Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy; • Comparison tables and figures for TTE and TEE findings; • More color images; • Online access to searchable text and more than 375 echo clips