Quality assurance testing of transoesophageal echocardiography probes.

Introduction: In response to an ultrasound imaging issue with transoesophageal echocardiography probes, a testing protocol was developed to check features pertinent to the operation of these probes. The imaging problem was detected in multiple probes of the same make and model.

Methods: Over a two-year period, a series of 26 probes of this model were tested at acceptance, then three to six months later before being replaced due to a defect.